The Box

"I am the Isolationist," the black clad being shouted.

"Great, another Akuma," Marinette thought,"and an attack during class, of course".

As panic errupted through the classroom, Marinette escaped into an already vacated classroom. "Tikki, Spots on!"

With a swirl of light, the girl emerged, a heroine ready for action.

As Nino and Alya ran past the classroom, she waved her arms, getting their attention. Without words, she tossed them their miraculous. She ran out, and saw Adrien running towards the locker room. As he entered, she saw the Isolationist run after him. She knew she had to protect Adrien.

As she entered, she saw Chat, staff raised to attack. The Akuma sneered, "I have spent years being ignored, feeling alone, trapped in my own mind!" He zapped the walls, and the room grew pitch black. A hole appeared in the wall, long enough for the Isolationist to escape the room.

In the blackness the duo felt along the walls, searching for an escape. Both heroes noted that the doors and windows had disappeared.

Ladybug remembered she had seen Adrien.

"Chat, where is Adrien?" Ladybug asked.

"Marinette, what are you doing in the boys locker room?" He replied, recognizing the voice.

Both heroes panicked looking for an excuse.

Chat had an idea first. "I locked Adrien in one of these lockers to keep him safe," he lied, opening a random locker loudly.

He spoke again, trying to talk more deeply," Thanks for protecting me Chat".

Marinette's mental light bulb went off next. She had knew she couldn't say she was Ladybug. If Chat had recognized her as Ladybug. "I was just looking for a place to hide".

She had a feeling that Ladybug would also be necessary for this escape, and decided to speak again. This time she used a nasal hoarse voice," Is anyone going to greet Paris's favorite ladybug?" She faked a sneeze to cement the idea that she was sick.

"M'Lady!" Chat cried,"oh no, you don't sound well, bless you".

"Hi Ladybug, I don't know if you remember me, I'm Adrien"

"Wow, besides Adrien's voice being a little deeper, the voices were indistinguishable," She thought.

Then, remembering her cover, she added as Marinette, "A-adrien you're literally a super- supermodel, who could forget a person like that?"

"That's true, Marinette, It's nice to see you again Adrien," Ladybug said, forcing herself not to stutter," and you too Marinette, it has been a while".

"By the way," Ladybug added,"Chat, can you get us out here with Cataclysm?"

Marinette and Adrien both encouraged Chat to use his abilities.

"Wow," Chat-Adrien thought,"this is dialogue is exhausting".

"Of course, M'Lady, Purincess, Pretty boy," he said making sure to include a nickname for Adrien,"Cataclysm!" He struck into the darkness, and gasped.

"Cataclysm doesn't have effect on the walls, it's like they're reinforced by the shadows".

"No worries, Chat, I'll just use my ability," the heroine said. "Lucky Charm!"

A small cylinder fell into her her hands.

"What is it?" Chat asked.

"Um I don't know. But I had a realization... My power has a lot to do with what I can see... and I can't see what it is. Chat what do you see?" She asked, holding it up?

"No clue M'Lady, cat eyes can see in low light, but this is pitch black".

The quartet-- or rather the pair stood there for a minute. Adrien's Miraculous began to beep, followed by Marinette's. Eventually it was just a pair if ordinary kids standing in the dark.

Adrien thought, and decided something had to be done about the silence.

"Do you guys want to play Truth or Dare?" He asked.

"I'm MEOut of ideas, we might as well," Chat agreed.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked.

"Sure."

She was hesitant.

"One condition," Ladybug interjected,"no truths about our identities".

"Deal," they all agreed.

"I'll fo first," Adrien volunteered.

"Truth or Dare?" A voice asked.

"Dare"

Ladybug was the first to make a suggestion.

"I dare you to kiss Marinette"

She again felt the cylinder and smiled. As she pushed it, she felt a slight give as the lid separared from the main body. She smelled it, to confirm her suspicions. It was strawberry chapstick.

"Ok," Adrien said, glad no one could see how nervous he was. He was known as a ladies man, but in reality he had never even kissed a girl.

"Follow my voice Marinette," he said, faking complete confidence.

He found her hand in the darkness, and followed it to her shoulder, then her cheek.

Adrien had only intended for a peck, but as soon as he felt her soft lips he subconsciously pulled in closer. He could taste a strong strawberry flavor, which caused him to linger a more, but after about 10 seconds, he willed himself to pull away.

Marinette regretfully let him go. She did her best not to squeal. She thought, "I just kissed A--".

"Ladybug, truth or dare?" Chat said, pulling Marinette out of her thoughts.

"Truth, you silly kitty, I know what dare would earn me".

"Ok, if you could kiss anyone in the world right now, who would it be? And remember, since it isn't about identities, you can't lie."

Ladybug groaned. Of course Chat would find a way to humiliate her.

"Um... well ok," she started,"but you guys can't make fun of me. Adrien..."

"Yes?" The supermodel asked.

"No, I mean you are the boy I would kiss."

"Oh".

Chat was jealous."Who does Adrien think he is stealing my Bugaboo? I can't--" Chat stopped his thoughts. He was literally becoming envious of himself.

"Alright then, Adrien, Truth or Dare?" Marinette asked.

"Dare," he ventured, subconsciously wishing Marinette wanted to kiss him again, then reminding himself his heart belonged to his Lady.

"Ladybug, I think I owe you one. Adrien, I dare you to kis her".

"Marinette is a great friend," Adrien thought.

"Alright, Ladybug I guess it's time for you to follow my voice," Adrien said.

He reached for her hand, instead caressing her hip.

"Oh, sorry about th--"

His apology was interuppted by another pair of soft lips. He felt the kiss deepen, felt her nibble at his lip, and the familiar tate of strawberry found it's way to his tongue. Again, he eventually forced himself to pull away, disappointedly.

Before he could stop himself Chat spoke.

"Adrien?" He asked himself.

"Truth, " he responded.

"Who is a better kisser?", the boy questioned himself.

"Why!? Why did I do that? What possessed me to say that?" He wondered.

"Um pass?" He begged.

"No!" Ladybug's stuffy voice demanded.

"I would like to hear the answer as well," Marinette weakly requested.

"Speak," Chat taunted himself.

"Um... well", Adrien reflected. What did he think. Ladybug gave him fire, but Marinette's kiss was tender and sweet.

"I... I suppose... um... uh... Marinette's was just about perfect...NOT THAT YOUR KISS WAS BAD LADYBUG", Adrien confessed,"It's just... I... I felt a sort of emotional connection to Marinette".

Marinette felt herself blush. She tried to express an answer.

"I-I um- Adrien- I love--"

She was interupted by the lights flickering on, and the shadows slowly ebbed away leaving a plain locker room.

Only two people were inside the room.

They looked around, but found no one else.

"Um, I guess they left," offered Marinette.

"That doesn't make sense. The lights came on before the shadows melted away," he said, as he noticed her purse,"besides Purincess, why would M'Lady leave her Kwami in your purse?"

Her smile faded, then brightened. Before she could respond, he caressed her face, gently moving his lips towards her own. He paused just before their lips touched, and Marinette closed that distance.

It was a magical kiss, their lips barely connected, but their hearts communicated what their words and actions had struggled to do for so long.

The door opened right as they finished the kiss.

Carapace's jaw dropped.

Rena resisted the urge to scream.

Adrien smiled at Marinette. He had found his Purincess and his Lady. And best of all, they were the same girl, the perfect one for him.