*I do not own Miraculous Ladybug or it's characters.

Hey Y'all! I just wanted to say thanks for the interest in my story. I didn't know if anyone else would like it, but I went ahead and posted the first chapter. My hope is to post a chapter (2k-3k words) every couple days, so I hope that works for y'all.

I would love any help y'all want to offer in the reviews. Are there too many puns? Purrhaps there should be more? Something else I might consider changing? I've planned out a rough idea of the story, but I haven't fleshed out msot characters or relationships. obviously the love square is happening. AlyaNino is great. Any other ships y'all wanna suggest? *fingers crossed not Lukanette*

Adrien was lying on his bed bouncing a tennis ball against the ceiling. He looked at his clock to see the time. 21:37. Doubtless the neighbors would soon bang on the floor, letting him know it was time to be quiet. He didn't really mind. After years of solitude, his mansion had begun to feel like a prison, so Adrien didn't particularly mind a friendly reminder to be quiet by 22:00.

Next to him was a notepad with every single page ripped out. On the ground were a pile of papers, each full of questions, and each crumpled up. Some were reasonable.

"Do you live within 5km of the Eiffel tower?" While others were completely pointless. "Do you like pastries better than meals?" And some reeked of desperation. "Am I the love of your life?"

He got up and began shoving paper balls into the garbage. Plagg watched, thoroughly entertained by his master's frustration. He didn't really feel worried, after a few dozen miraculous holders he had figured out the routine.

Based on what he knew about Marinette and Adrien, things should be fine. "But if I say something nice to Adrien, there might be some Camembert in it for me," he thought to himself. With that push, he decided to speak.

"Hey Adrien... whatcha thinking bout?" The nasal voice asked. He was glad Adrien had had the foresight to request a private dorm room, so Plagg could enter and depart according to his own leisure.

Adrien sighed. "Honestly, I don't know Plagg. I am so happy. But way confused. And super excited. While a bit nervous."

How could he express the joy of getting kissed by Ladybug, even if it was on the cheek, or the perpelexing way she oscillated between flirtatious and platonically friendly. And now he would get to find out her identity... unless he messed it up, in which case he would never find out.

He stopped and thought for a minute. "It's just that-- well see it's like-- so imagine", he groaned in frustration, unable to vocalize his feelings.

"You and Marinette are perfect for each other," Plagg muttered. He thought it was funny that Adrien was more worried about a girl than he was about college. "Then again," the Kwami considered, "Adrien has tons of book smarts, but is sorely lacking in the flirting department."

"What was that Plagg?" Adrien asked.

"I said, you and Camembert are perfect for me, brother," Plagg grinned at his own foolishness,"so you wanna help a brother out and score him some sweet, sweet dairy?"

Adrien removed a piece of cheese from his mini fridge and offered it to Plagg (who unhesitatingly accepted it). He went back to tossing the tennis ball against the ceiling. He bounced it and caught it on it's way back down. Somehow he couldn't help but think of his Lady soaring through the sky, using some amazing Naruto kick to stop an Akuma.

He tossed it at the ceiling again and heard 3 stomps as he caught it. Looking back at the clock he saw the time 22:02. He set the tennis ball down, wondering what his Lady was thinking about.

Marinette sat in the top bunk, still admiring the pendant. "I love Chat," she whispered.

"Oh?" An even quieter voice replied.

"No, not like that Tikki. Chat Noir is like a... a brother to me. You remember the plan--"

"There is only room in my heart for Adrien" Tikki and Marinette said in unison.

"Yeah, I know Marinette, I just think you should give Chat a chance. He may seem like a kitty now, but you may be surprised by his MODEL behavior", Tikki said, snickering at her own joke. She could see why Chat Noir always made puns.

Suddenly Alya popped onto the top bunk, staring at her bestie. "Mari, what are you giggling about?" Alya asked inquisitively.

She stared at Tikki then at the necklace then back at Tikki.

"NO WAY!" she cried, "YOU ARE--"

"Shhhh!" Marinette screamed,"you have to promise you can't tell anyone!" She could feel herself freaking out. She had to convince Alya not to tell anyone that she was Ladybug.

"But it's in my blood girl... Ixm a reporter. I have to tell people what I see. And I see a super secret right here. You. Are. Secretly. A Ladybug fan!" Alya squealed in delight!

Marinette felt the blood rush back into her body. "Yeah... secretly her biggest fan.." she said semi convincingly.

"Don't pretend that's not your secret!" Alya called,"you even have a Kwa..."

Alya stopped. Even her best friend couldn't know on occasion she moonlighted as Rena Rouge. She picked Tikki off Marinette's bed. Alya realized she had never actually felt Trixx, and had no idea if this toy was an accurate representation of a Kwami.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought," she muttered.

"Like I was saying you even have a QUAlity," she emphasized the last word, hoping to distract Marinette from her faux pas (or paw as Chat would point out), "Ladybug plushy. And look at that necklace," Alya said, subconsciously reaching for it, and holding out the Kwami as if to barter.

Marinette reluctantly handed her the pendant, while gently accepting Tikki. She softly laid the little creature against her side, and sensed a small tremble of fear. "I wonder if that is Tikki or me,"she thought.

"Wow!" Alya exclaimed, looking at the pendant. This is some high quality LB merch. Almost looks one of a kind."

Marinette smiled, "Honestly I just think the world would be a better place if people were more like Ladybug. I wear that to remind myself to be the best I can be."

"I may have rephrased Chat's suggestion, ever so slightly, but It seems Alya is buying it," the heroine thought as Alya nodded. And Marinette did mean what she said. She sincerely wanted to be her best self.

Alya unenthusiastically returned the pendent. Marinette could see her disappointment, and under regular circumstances she would have given it to Alya. But this gift had a special meaning to her.

"Besides," she thought, "Alya has enough Ladybug memorabilia". She looked at Alya's half of the room. The wall was plastered with posters of the the Parisian heroine; bed sheets, pillows, and blankets embellished her bed, her night stand had several books about the heroic duo. Marinette even realized her friend had headphones, which looked like her miraculous, when put in someone's ear.

"You know, Alya, you would think that with those banners staring at you from every direction, you would easily be able to tell who Ladybug is without her mask," Marinette gently taunted.

"I was thinking just that when I put them up!" Alya agreed. "Wait, it's you!" She screamed.

"M-m-me?" Marinette replied weakly.

"Yes, it's your fault! I spend so much time talking to you that I never look at my posters. I'll never recognize Ladybug if I spend all day staring at you!" Alya accused.

Marinette laughed, then forced herself to laugh louder to cover up Tikki's giggle. Alya, blissfully unaware of how funny her comment really was joined in the chorus of guffaws.

They spent a few more minutes laughing until Tikki and Marinette calmed down. As silence finally filled the room, Alya finally spoke up.

"So, how are things with Adrien?" She asked.

"Oh, um... uh... good?" Marinette attempted.

"Hmmm... you know girl, as a reporter--"

"Journalism major" her friend interjected, knowing where this was going.

"Fine, as someone who studies and learns about interviewing from PROFESSIONALS, I think you still haven't confessed you feelings to Adrien." Alya accused.

"Well it's just that well... Adrien... he um is busy and we don't talk in class and--"

"AND you're still terrified of him," Alya surmised.

"Yeah," her friend admitted.

"Well looks like we're gonna have to call in the cavalry," Alya said whipping out her phone, while wearing a devious expression. She began to type furiously.

"Alya, what are you doing?" Marinette asked, trying to look at the screen. Her friend noticed and turned it so she couldn't see.

So Marinette did the only rational thing anyone in her position would do.

She jumped off the bed and proceeded to tackle Alya.

"Hey!" Alya shouted holding her phone away from Marinette, typing with ine hand and holding her friend back with the other.

She reminded herself this was for her friend's own good as she stretched her thumb towards the send button.

"Yes!" They screamed simultaneously.

Marinette held the phone in her hands and her blood ran cold.

Message Sent to

Nino (Handsome BF)

"Alya! What did you do?" She shrieked.

Nino opened his phone at 3:24. He had just come home from a DJ gig for a big party and had barely laid his head on his pillow.

A second buzz alerted him to a second text. He opened the first.

From: Babe

Hey hot stuff... soo... Mari is still head over heels for blondie... uh... so could you maybe bring up his love life again... and include Marinette in the discussion. Promise?

He mustered an answer before moving to the next text.

To:Babe

Sure.

Nino opened the next text as he realized he had an early morning class the next day.

From: Babe's Babe

(He smiled as he remembered putting Marinette'a new phone number in his contacts, as she had thrown her old phone when Adrien said hi to her. The new contact name perfectly reflected Nino's predicament, sharing his girlfriend with her best friend.)

Don't do it Nino! Alya is being dumb.

He offered the most insincere apology one could give.

To: Babe's Babe

Sorry. Already promised.

Then he turned his phone off. Any other course or action would have kept him up all night with texts from the girls.

Marinette heard her alarm go off at 8:00. She just chose to ignore it. She had spent all night awake, letting her axiety spin a tale. Adrien had probably already talked with Nino, and had pieced together that she was in love with him. So there was no reason to go to her Physics class. She was going to fake her own death, settle for Chat--

"It's time to wake up sleepyhead," Alya moaned, pulling Marinette out of her nightmare she had consciously fabricated for herself.

"No, my life is ruined," she countered, fully awake, yet sounding just as sleepy as she usually did when she was still half asleep.

Alya dragged herself out of bed, just to grab Marinette by the ankle.

"Now listen up," she started, "I still have 2 hours to sleep, but you are failing Physics. And class starts in 10 minutes."

"Sounds like an even better reason to stay in bed," she complained.

"Nope, there is a reason your parents give me free pastries when I walk by their shop, and it isn't because I let you fail classes. Now you can either get out of bed, or I can get you out of bed," she threatened, still clutching the ankle.

"Strike me down," Marinette mumbled," complete your path to the dark side".

Alya let go and sighed. "It would be a shame if anyone found out about your secret!"

Marinette jumped out of bed before realizing Alya thought her "secret" was that she was a Ladybug fanatic. "Ugh," she said, "fine, I'll go to school. Lucky I don't have class with Adrien. My hair is a mess".

As Marinette rushed to her physics lecture, she noticed the class was full. "Great, I was doing such a good job of being on time since I started college," she thought to herself.

Scanning the rows of seats she observed 2 seats in the back were available. "I've been a front row student the whole semester," she mumbled as she plopped down.

"Alright class, it is time to begin the lecture," the professor droned.

"Can anyone tell me the relationship between an electric field and its flux on a given surface?"

Blank stares filled the lecture hall. The room was suddenly silent.

"M. Agreste, as you are standing, I assume you are volunteering, and not that you have snuck into my class late, once again?"

Adrien could feel 200 pairs of eyes on him. He cleared his throat. " Of course," he said, pouring every drop of confidence left in his soul into his voice.

"The flux measures how much of an electric field passes through the object. If you multiply the electric field by the area of the object and the cosine of the angle of the object, in relation to the electric field, you can find the flux".

"A competent explanation M. Agreste. You may sit down," he said, "and try not to be late to my class again.

Adrien sighed in relief, glad that physics was the one class he understood. He looked to his left and saw Marinette, her eyes glued to the board.

"This is not happening, this is not happening. This. Is. Not. Happening!," she said to herself.

"Hey, Marinette. I didn't know you were in this class," Adrien whispered.

"I- I didn't know I was either- er- we were- uh um I mean that you- you were here either," She stammered.

Adrien smiled that exaggerated, stupid, annoyingly perfect smile, the one that looked like he was an angel who took a wrong turn and was trying to get directions back to heaven. The kind of smile that could bring world peace, heal broken hearts, and change lives. It was the most beautiful smile she had ever--.

The professor caught her daydreaming and asked "Mlle Dupain-Cheng, how would one find the equivalent resistance of two resistors in a series?"

"Um... um...resistors", she muttered to herself making the squiggly line that was used to represent them.

"Yes, resistors Mlle," the professor said impatiently.

Right as she began to feel herself melt into a puddle of embarrassment, she heard a whisper next to her,"add the resistors".

"You... um... add the resistors to get the equivalent resistance?" She offered.

"Very good, Mlle, forgive me, I thought you weren't paying attention", he said, then continued in the same monotone voice he was known for.

"Thank me," she whispered to Adrien, who smiled and complied.

"Thanks Marinette"

Her cheeks turned cherry red as she realized what she had just said.

"No, no, no, I meant thank you, why would you thank me?," she whispered, speaking faster with each passing word," There is no reason to thank me, especiallyif Ninotalked toyou--"

"Wait, what about Nino? Your talking too fast", he smiled, paralyzing her with that stupid charismatic smile of his.

"But I haven't spoken with him since last night when he left to DJ a party, and I won't be able to talk to him til after Alya has had brunch with him. I think he turned his phone off," Adrien offered,"I don't know if any of that answered your question?"

"Yes. Perfect. Thanks."

As soon as class ended she ran towards the Café Nino and Alya frequented for brunch.

She heard Adrien call as she was leaving.

"I enjoyed sitting next to you, hopefully we can sit next to each other next time Marinette".

She could feel her face on fire. She didn't dare acknowledge the comment. She headed straight out of the building, gaining speed as she began to fastwalk.

As she reached the cafè she got a text.

Opening her phone, it was a text paired to her Ladybug acount.

To:M'lady

From: Chat

Lady, I didn't know what the rules were for texting... so I'll ask via text today. Do YOU already know my identity?

Marinette typed as fast as she could, hitting send as she yanked the cafè door open.

To: Chat

From: Ladybug

No. Not even an idea.