Marinette: age 22
Marinette watched as Adrian pushed past her. Alya and Nino right on his heels. And she just watched as the door closed behind them, smiling to herself as she descended down the stairs knowing that she did good. Tonight was good. The smile only widened. It was only her ringing phone that brought her out of her thoughts.
She looked at the i.d with a roll of her eyes.
"Marinette!" A shrill voice yelled. "Where are you? You were suppose to be here five minutes ago!"
Marinette took a deep sigh. They still had a long way to go.
"Calm down Chloé. I'll be right there."
Marinette didn't even get the chance to knock as Chloé was frantically staring through the peep hole waiting for her.
"About time you showed up. Come on. Come on. Do take your time."
"You want my help or not?"
Pouty lips pursed tight as Chloé held her tongue and made room for Marinette to enter. "Yes I want your help." She gritted like it was the last thing she wanted to admit. Her one weakness. "I don't know what to wear." She whined as she closed the door.
"Chloé," Marinette began. "It's a date not the prom. Just choose something. I'm pretty sure Sabrina won't care what you wear as long as you show up."
"Dupain-Cheng, are you stupid or something? This is bigger than meeting the prime minister."
Again eyes rolled. "Alright then. Let's see what we can do."
She shifted through what could only be considered a girls dream closet. It was as big as her own bedroom. She pulled a teal dress and put it back with a shake of her head.
"What about this one?" It was a dark blue sequence mini.
"God no! I wore that last year. I can't be seen in something I wore last year. Marinette think for once will ya."
She placed it back with a scowl. "Then what have you worn yet?"
"Oh, everything."
"Then what's the point?"
"I don't know. You're the fashion designer. You think of something. Work your magic like you always do." Chloé ordered.
Marinette stared long and hard into the closest.
"Any day now."
She grabbed the first thing that caught her eye. "Alright. I'll use this dress and you'll either take it or leave it." It was yellow. A goldenrod yellow- more on the lighter side- with a cross strap.
"Alright Dupain-Cheng." Chloé stood. "'Bout time you stood up for yourself. Taking the dress from her hands, "This'll work if you make it look good." She handed it back with a smirk. "We'll call this even."
"So," Marinette began after placing in a slim black belt. "What could be more important than meeting a prime minister?"
"Proposing." Stated matter of factly.
"Wow… really?" She didn't mean for it to come out condescending.
"You bitch."
"No. No. I didn't mean it like that!" Marinette flustered. "I just…" She trailed off.
"Just what?" Chloé practically yelled.
"I wish I could be as happy as you are now."
"Well you can't. You aren't me. We won't ever be the same kind of happy. Like the restaurant that we're going to, you could never ever afford." Chloé haughtily laughed. "That was a joke Marinette. Calm down." She gestured to the spot next to her on the couch. "So you lost Tikki. What are you going to do now?"
"Ok, blunt much. I didn't lose Tikki. I set her free." Marinette corrected.
"Fine whatever. But you can't be Ladybug anymore, so…"
"So…" Marinette mimicked. "So nothing. Besides, who said I wanted to be a superhero for the rest of my life?" She held the dress up to Chloé. "I didn't even really plan on being one in the first place but who else was suppose to protect Paris?" She shook her head at it trying to clear her thoughts. Maybe a different color belt? Or a jacket. She thought.
"I don't know if I could ever give up Pollen. Whether or not I'm saving Paris." Chloé admitted.
"Where is pollen anyway?"
"Sleeping."
"Cute but," continuing, "Your time will come. Mine just came sooner than later."
"Way to be a kill joy Marinette. You almost done with that dress. I don't want to be super late."
"Yeah, yeah. Try it for me." She handed the dress over. "And where are your shoes?"
Chloé took the dress. "Hmm. I guess this'll work." Nodding her approval. "There in the other closet."
"…Other closet?"
•~
6 Years Earlier
Age: 16.
Back at school Marinette trudged up the stairs- holding her arm- like the weight of the world was upon her. She couldn't even fathom the thought of talking to Adrian at this point about the text. Let alone even seeing him and with what happened over the weekend, her arm still throbbed, she couldn't take anymore stress. They couldn't even take down Spitfire. It was like Stoneheart all over again.
"Marinette!" Alya called out. "About time you got here. Thought you were gonna be late like always." She stood with her arms crossed. "I was just explaining to Adrian here about that thing you were meant to send to me."
Marinette looked on dumbfounded. It wasn't helping matters that Adrian and Nino were around. She kept her eyes to the ground. Sure she did the right thing but did that mean she had to feel like hell because if it?
"You know, you were helping me to write that story."
"Story?"
"Yeah." Alya elbowed. "But I never got your response because you accidentally sent it to Adrian. In. Stead. Of. Me."
"That's- yeah that's right." Marinette picked up. "I'm sorry if I confused you or anything." She apologized clutching her arm even tighter. Why couldn't she just confess her feelings like anybody else.
"Oh, it's alright Marinette." Adrian responded. "I think it's pretty neat that you could write something so beautiful like that." He smiled.
"Really!?" She perked flushed face at the compliment.
"Alright now. Isn't it time for class?" Alya pushed the two boys onwards. "C'mon Marinette. Don't just stand there all whimsy. Not if you want detention like last week." She cautioned.
"Right. Coming." She ran after them.
"So what's this story about?" Nino asked.
"Nothing for you." Alya teased. "Nothing that would interest you anyways."
"Well try me." He teased back.
"So…" Adrian slowed to Marinette's pace. "Those two?"
"Yeah. Those two." She agreed. Wait. What. Now's my chance to ask him out! Marinette was practically bouncing in her skin. Even though she had talked to him times before he always made her heart skip a beat.
"Hey, what happened to your arm?"
"Oh this," she held her arm up. "Nothing much. Just burned it at the bakery." Marinette laughed nervously.
"You ok?" He asked.
"F-fine. Just need to be more careful next time."
They stood there in silence staring at each other.
"We should-"
"Adrikins!" A piercing voice yelled. Chloé came running up glompping all over Adrian like love sick Juliet. Marinette watched with disgust and envy as she intertwined her arm in his.
"Don't you have class to get to Dupain-Cheng?" Chloé scoffed leading Adrian on.
"See you in class Marinette." He waved apologetically with that have smile.
She just stood there in awe. He smiled at me. She gushed. "How can someone be so perfect? He's like a real life angel." She practically floated.
The bell rang bringing Marinette back from her trip on cloud nine.
"Crap!" She ran cradling her arm.
"Marinette, I'll let it slide since the door wasn't closed all the way but try to actually be on time next time." Miss Bustier commented.
"Yes. Sorry." Marinette excused as she made her way to her desk. Alya only shrugged her shoulders.
"At least she didn't give you detention." She whispered.
"Yeah."
The day went on as normal or normal as possible. Her classmates kept coming up to ask about her arm. It was a nice coincidental that Marinette lived and worked in the bakery. Also made coming up with an excuse easy as pie but shewas sure the akuma would show back up to do more of Hawkmoth's bidding. He didn't.
If Spitfire doesn't show how am I suppose reverse things? Good thing no one was seriously hurt. She thought. In truth though she was more worried about her arm. Of course Paris and the people who lived there are important to her but it just ached constantly. I shouldn't think like that.
"Marinette, lets go." Alya called from the doorway. "The girls are gonna leave us behind."
"Yes I'm coming." She grabbed her bag and rushed to join her friend.
"Hey, is there something bothering you?" Their footsteps echoed through the now empty hall. They had all planned to go to the movies after school today. Just us girls, as Alya called it.
"Huh. What do you mean?"
"You've just been really quiet lately." Alya stopped short. "You know if there's anything bothering you, anything at all you can tell me. That's what I'm here for. We are best friends after all."
"Yeah we are." Marinette smiled.
"Marinette." The girl crossed her arms. "I'm being serious here. I mean it."
"I know." She looked at her friend trying to find the right words to say. For so long she had been hiding the fact that she was Ladybug. When all along she knew that Alya was Rena Rouge. It wasn't right to know such a thing with the secret that she kept. Could she trust her. She was after all her best friend.
Can I tell Alya that I am Ladybug? But what if…
"I-"
"It's alright Marinette."
She pulled her eyes from the ground. "What?"
"I said it's alright. I can see that whatever it is that dealing with, what I'm trying to say is that I'll be here. Whenever you're ready to talk I'll be here. Always."
I'm such a damn coward.
Together they emerged from the entrance way.
"There you are." Rose called out. "We were starting to get worried." She carried on.
Alya ran up to them with Marinette trailing behind.
"Sorry about that. We had to go back for my textbook." She took Marinette's arm. "So have we decided on a movie yet?"
"Oh, oh, oh!" Rose jumped. "I want to see Hell Gore number three!" You could see the excitement gleaming in her eyes. She was ready to see someone die in spectacular horror fashion.
"But didn't that movie come out a few years ago?" Jeluka uttered. "I thought you wanted to see that new animated movie about the snow people."
Blonde hair meshed with black. "I want to see what you want see Jeluka."
She couldn't help but to hide the blush that creeped up her cheeks.
"Well, will you look at this." Chloé called out. "Really. You guys are just ridiculous." She crossed. "And to think the two of you are together. Disgusting isn't it Sabrina?"
"I don't know Chloé. I think it's kind of nice."
"You're suppose to agree with me."
"Hey now. That was uncalled for!" Rose bit back. "No one calls my girlfriend disgusting you… you tart."
"Rose." Jeluka exclaimed.
"Sorry." She apologized. "Wait- no I'm not sorry. I won't take that, what she said. I want an apology!"
"Really it's alright." She grabbed her hand. "There's no need to get worked up over someone so small. Lets just go already.
"Disgusting!" Alya huffed. "I'll show you disgusting." She yelled gearing for a fight. "I'll put you in your place and slap that fake tan right off your face." She raced towards Chloé ready to accept any punishment that would come her way. At the last moment Marinette grabbed her arm reeling the hot head back in. So many emotions were in play. The dam about to burst.
"What's wrong with you Chloe?" This time her voice would be heard. "There's nothing wrong with Rose or Jeluka. You're the one who's in the wrong! "She hadn't realized that her voice was raising but the situation just rubbed her the wrong way. Whose place was it to judge? Was this the Paris that she was meant to protect? If so then Marinette was more that ready to throw her superhero life away. What point was there in even trying anymore when the world was already full of such unfiltered hate? "Just keep your unwanted opinions to yourself!" She shook. Who was it that she was defending again?
"Marinette," Rose took her hand. She was thankful to have someone stand up for her. "It's okay. Chloé is just being Chloé." Who was the hero again?
"Yeah. Lets just go." Jeluka gently pulled. "We can go to my house to watch the movie."
"Alright." Marinette agreed letting herself be pulled along.
"Hey, Chloé wanna know something funny." Alya quipped before leaving with the others. "Usually in horror movies the dumb, blonde bitch is usually the first to die." She waved leaving a struck Chloé behind.