A/N: She can't very well go as Ladybug, can she? ;3

The Halloween dance wasn't a shock. Halloween and a treasured week off were just around the corner, so of course they just had to have a masquerade.

Yes, there was chatting all throughout the halls over what people would go as.

Yes, Marinette's class were all going as their akumatized selves.

Yes, Marinette was having a life crisis over what she would go as.

"So girl," Alya asked, sliding in next to her, "What're you gonna go as?" She grinned. "You'd make an excellent Ladybug."

"Can't tell you," Marinette grinned back, biting back the thoughts rushing through her head. I don't have one Alya! What on earth do I do?!

She couldn't very well go as Ladybug... that wouldn't go down well, especially considering how she was Ladybug. She'd be shot down in a matter of seconds when people connected the dots(haha Chaton was rubbing off on her), and knowing the full list of people who were coming wouldn't help. She frowned at Chloe, who was muttering something into Sabrina's ear as she pointed at Marinette in a very obvious manner, the two bursting into giggles that definitely weren't very friendly ones.

Deciding to ignore Chloe today, she mumbled incoherently at her sketchbook in disgust. When was the last time she'd been out of ideas? She shivered at the thought of it.

That night, patrol was calm enough that she finished up early. Chat Noir had apparently had similar ease, as he joined her not moments later.

"M'lady, something's bothering you," Her Chaton stated, frowning. She shook her head, begging herself to resist the urge to squeal at how adorable his face was, and replied calmly.

"Oh, it's nothing much," Ladybug replied, waving it off as nonchalant as she could. "I've just got to decide on an outfit for a Halloween Dance."

He nodded. "Why not go as me?" he asked provocatively, his overactive eyebrows wiggling.

She was about to refuse with a witty remark when she paused and seriously thought about it. It was the logical answer since she couldn't go as Ladybug and didn't have an akumatized form to go as... yeah, now that she thought about it...

The makings of a brilliant Chat Noir outfit shot through her head, and she grinned.

"I might do just that, Chaton."

Two weeks.

Two long, painful weeks where she worked herself silly finishing her Chat Noir costume. It was beautiful, perfect, stunning, and every moment was worth it as she slipped into it, tugging the bell up to her neck. Yeah, it was pretty darn similar to Chat Noir's costume, but to her credit it did have to be recognizable.

She twirled in it happily, smirking at herself in the mirror.

Tonight was going to be fun.

She walked up to the doors of the school, Nino's music blaring loud enough to resonate throughout the building. She grinned devilishly as she thought of Alya's reaction to it - that is, until Adrien Agreste became part of the picture.

She turned as his limo rolled up, his driver getting out and pulling the door open delicately.

She felt like her head exploded and imploded all at once.

He stepped out into the starlight, his Ladybug costume being nothing other than top-rate. He was even wearing Ladybug cufflinks (she totally didn't notice that in an attempt to pull her eyes away from his ponytail or his body-hugging suit oh nooo) and she was very suddenly conscious of the fact that she was also wearing a body-hugging leather suit.

With cat ears.

And a bell.

She took a deep breath and turned back to the school. Alya would be on her case, but that was better than freaking over the Sun Child™ and ruining the night for both of them. Instead, she stuck with using a pace she was fairly certain would make her sway like her Chaton did so often.

Little did she know how effective it was.

Adrien Agreste, face of the Agreste clothing line, was gaping.

He even forgot about Ladybug, the light of his life, when he saw the jaw-dropping sight that was none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

He gulped, tugging nervously at his cufflinks as he watched her pace away after a brief smirk in his direction. She probably knew fully that he was staring at her, but he didn't care. He didn't know what did it - the leather suit that covered everything but her neck and head, the mask over her Galaxy Eyes™ or even the bell. Oh dearest angels in heaven her outfit had a bell.

He waved quickly to his driver and ran after her. One way or another he was going to dance with her, if it was the last thing he did. Forget Clingy Chloe or even just hanging out by himself, he needed to dance with her.

And anyway, he could have a bit of an ego, couldn't he? He couldn't ignore such a bold statement of her support. Why else would Marinette herself put so much effort into an outfit?

He ran inside, pushed Chloe aside as she made a ballistic leap for his arm, and darted around, searching for the woman in black leather. No way was he going away with anything less than a dance.

Period.

Marinette stalked into the room, feeling her body flood with confidence. If this is what it felt like to be Chat Noir, then no wonder his ego was so huge; anyone would feel powerful in a costume like this. She smirked and sent a sly wink at Nathanael and Nino talking in a corner, waiting to sneak up on Alya herself.

She saw jaws drop and resisted the urge to break into full-on smug mode. It would only make it worse, after all.

She sneaked up on Alya, stalking her with an arched back as a brief joke for her friends, a few of which giggled, though none loud enough to alert the reporter, who was taking pictures of a group of students all dressed as Ladybug. She smiled and patted her friend's back.

"Well, miss Repurrter, got any nice mews to share?" Marinette said, feeling herself wiggle with glee at the puns. She really did enjoy acting like her Chaton, and though nothing could defeat Adrien, she couldn't lie; she was enjoying mimicking her partner. It was hilarious.

Alya turned around and snapped a photo before Marinette could even change her expression. Marinette giggled. "So, like it?"

Alya gaped, only just realizing who it was. "MARI?"

"The one and only!" Marinette replied, posing dramatically. Regaining her composure, she continued, "but seriously, how is it?"

"Mari I am serious jealous," Alya cried, gripping her friend's shoulder. "but let me tell you this... you're going to have eyes following you all night."

Marinette groaned and rolled her eyes. "Knew it was too good to be simple," Marinette mumbled, shaking her head at herself. "Nice Lady Wifi outfit, by the way."

"No kidding girl, you made it!" Alya grinned. "Lemme take a pic with you! I've got to put this on the Ladyblog!"

Marinette was, at first, apprehensive, but then she decided refusing would be even more suspicious. "Fine," she gurmbled, rolling her eyes, shuffling up next to her friend as Alya held up the camera.

SNAP!

Moving away, she caught Alya with a well-known expression, and breathed deeply. She only made that face when a certain someone was about to walk up to them, and it wasn't Nino.

Turning around, she saw the godly golden-haired dreamboat himself smile down at her. "Hey Mari," he said quietly, Marinette briefly wondering why she could even hear him over the noise around them. "I didn't peg you as a Chat Noir fan."

Marinette smiled back at him. "Well... I have to admit, he is the cooler of the two of them."

"No way!" Adrien disagreed. "Ladybug is definitely cooler."

Marinette smirked. "Oh really?"

He seemed a little stunned, but quickly responded. "Yes really."

Marinette's smirk only grew. "Bet she can't do... this."

As she spoke, she lifted a finger up to Adrien's face, laying it lightly on his mouth. Her inner lovestruck fool was toppling over in a melting pile of whipped cream, but she was already here. Her thumb joined her finger in a cautious moment of speechlessness.

And she flicked.

She saw the ripple of his body going stiff, his emerald eyes staring at the ceiling in pure, unadulterated shock. She wasn't sure what Alya was doing, but she didn't think she'd want to know. Instead, she brushed past Adrien very much on purpose, letting the tail-belt of her outfit ripple past his leg, and walking off with a confidence she didn't feel.

She really hoped she didn't destroy Adrien's image of her.

Adrien was in shock.

He thought it would be easy, to speak to Marinette, ask her for a dance, but it hadn't been. Instead, she had gotten him into a dispute over his Lady (who he simply had to defend), and she had spoken to him in such confidence he could barely believe it was Marinette. Then she had done the unthinkable.

She had flicked at him, sending shockwaves up and down his body like a drop of water moving an ocean. There was just something, something so... miraculous about the way she'd done it, the glittering in her eyes, the devilish smirk, the way sweet little Marinette had transformed into, well, him overnight, with nothing but a costume.

He felt a strange pounding in his chest and dread, wonder and a confused package of everything else wash over him in a blinding heap until he couldn't speak. He was just standing there with his mouth hanging open like some sort of lovelorn fool.

Lovelorn... fool?

He began second-guessing himself as Nino dragged him over to ask him what was wrong. He didn't even respond; suddenly it all made sense.

It made sense why he liked Ladybug; it was all there, the smile, the eyes, heck even the freckles... they were all traits Marinette had. And after all, the confident streak he admired was also mixed in with the sweet side...

Oh no, he thought, connecting the dots. I'm in love. I've been so blind.

He shook himself violently. Here's your chance, Adrien, take it. She's Right. There. Just go out there and ask.

You're unlikely to get another chance like this.

He pulled away from Nino and out onto the dance floor, where Marinette was chatting (haha) with Juleka about... whatever it was they were talking about. It didn't matter, he was going to have this dance whether she liked it or not.

Wait, no, it was dreadfully important that she liked this.

Do not screw up, Adrien, he scolded himself, walking over to her with a confidence that definitely wasn't there.

Her blue skies met his green fields as their eyes locked together.

In the brief moment, there was a pair of voices that spoke in unison as they faced each other fully.

"May I have this dance?"

A/N: I'm a dork. It's official.

It's so cute

help pls