Sorry for the VERY long wait. Having a bad burn out. Trying to recover. Figured I'd try my hand at "everyone loves marinette" to see if I still got it. Hope you enjoy!

Ban gái = Vietnamese for girlfriend

Kanajo = Japanese for girlfriend

Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug


Kagami sighed in disappointment, clicking her phone to end the call when her mother dismissed her. Outside she kept her composure, but inside, a righteous fury was brewing.

She was getting tired of all the high standards her mother made Kagami hold herself to. For once, she just wanted to be free of being perfect. In this moment, she felt jealous of Adrien—he made being perfect seem so easy, and he was able to smile about it as well. She wondered if the boy was made of steel or perhaps, he's better at hiding disappointment more than her.

She hesitated over Adrien's name in her phone, unsure if she should call him. That disaster of a date from the ice rink was fresh in her mind, and she wanted to critique herself for seeming so weak when she knew she was better than hanging onto some boy who couldn't see her worth—too busy pining over his first crush. Kagami had no time for wishy washy people—Adrien and his friend needed to be more assertive in what they wanted, but that was something Kagami couldn't teach them.

As if summoned from her thoughts, a familiar yelp sounded and Kagami was quick to catch the falling girl, their eyes locking in a stare. Marinette's bluebell eyes sparkled just like Kagami remembered, and she refused to think how pretty they were compared to her eyes. Kagami was not second best to anyone—least of all a meek girl.

"Oh! Kagami!" Marinette spoke, straightening herself up. Kagami noticed she was carrying bags of groceries. Marinette continued, despite not receiving an answer, "It's good to see you again! Are you going to go see Adrien?" she asked politely, and Kagami was proud to say the girl didn't even wince in jealousy. She was completely sincere with Kagami, and the girl felt herself ease in Marinette's presence.

"No. I was on my way home." Kagami replied. Marinette looked sheepish.

"Sorry! This is the direction to his house, so I assumed you were going to meet him. What are you going to do when you get home?" Marinette asked.

"Probably study." Kagami refused to be embarrassed at her lack of social life. She didn't need pity.

"Do you study often?" Marinette continued, adjusting her groceries. Kagami automatically walked up to her and helped her with some of her bags. Marinette gave her a bright smile and Kagami was stunned by its radiance. Despite both liking the same boy, Marinette really had no ill will towards her. It was quite refreshing—Marinette's genuine kindness. Kagami was used to the cold atmosphere of her family, and it was a nice breath of fresh air.

"I have to. My mother expects nothing less." Kagami shrugged. Marinette gaped at her.

"What?! Even Adrien gets out every once in a while! You need breaks too!" With her arms not burdened with as many groceries, she hooked her arm through Kagami and began leading the girl towards Marinette's house. "Come with me! At least have lunch with us before you go study! Kim's family and mine usually get together for meals since we've known each other since we were kids." Marinette lead her and Kagami allowed it, a little flabbergasted at the girl's boldness with her. Around Adrien, Marinette was a mouse, but without him, she was like a tigeress ready to nurture any stray cub that comes into her den.

"Kim…?" Kagami parroted, in shock that someone was so forward with her.

"Yeah! His family's from Vietnam and my mother's from China so when our parents met, my mom and his parents bonded over their cultures. It's become tradition ever since we were born to cook Asian dishes together from our cultures!" Marinette explained with excited, picturing all the wonderful dishes they were going to have. Kim's mother and father were excellent cooks like Marinette's family and the Vietnamese dishes they made were always a treat.

"I wasn't aware you were Asian." Kagami spoke. With Marinette's blue eyes and pale skin, she didn't realize the girl was biracial. Kagami suddenly felt guilty. Marinette gave a sheepish smile, trying to show Kagami she wasn't mad about the statement.

"To be honest, I wish I looked more like my mother. She is so beautiful. She has soft grey eyes that remind me of campfire smoke on a cold night. I know I got her hair, but I wish I could connect with her more on her culture. I feel like I don't measure up at times because I can't speak mandarin or know all about her culture…" Marinette trailed off.

Seeing Marinette's crestfallen face stirred something in Kagami. It felt off for the girl to have such an expression. A smile suited her—it made her positively radiant.

"I can teach you if you like…" Kagami offered shyly, not sure if it was her place, but still wanting to help. "I'm Japanese, but I also studied Mandarin. My mother made sure I knew more languages than just Japanese and French."

It was like Kagami offered Marinette the world, and her smile was so bright, Kagami was sure she was blinded by its beauty. If Marinette was this pretty, she wondered what her mother looked like, based on Marinette's words.

"Really? You mean it?!" Marinette exclaimed, gratitude shining in her eyes. Kagami felt herself also smile.

"Sure. We'll trade numbers after lunch, okay?" Kagami promised. Marinette grinned.

They soon arrived at what appeared to be a bakery with an apartment above it. Kagami assumed this was where Marinette lived. Marinette led her through the bakery and up the stairs, never once unhooking her arm with Kagami's. It made Kagami feel warm.

"Maman! Papa! I am home! I brought a friend!" Marinette called. A hulking man with a mustache came out from the kitchen, and Kagami was vaguely reminded of a teddy bear looking at him.

"Ah! A new friend? Please introduce us, Sweetie!" Tom Dupain said. Marinette unhooked her arm from Kagami's, and Kagami missed the loss of contact, but didn't show it.

"This is Kagami! She is a friend from Adrien's fencing class! Her family's from Japan and they just moved here!" Marinette beamed at her father. Tom took a look at Kagami and grinned, immediately scooping her up in a hug. Kagami's eyes widened, shocked at the gesture. Was this where Marinette got her welcoming personality from?

"It's good to meet you, Kagami! We haven't met anyone from Japan before! I've heard they have excellent desserts! I'm hoping to one day go and try some!" Tom told her, releasing her. "A baker should never limit themselves to just one way to do pastries! We must be as versatile as cooking after all!"

"The desserts are very nice. My favorite is taiyaki. My brother used to take me to get some when I was younger." Kagami was beginning to feel herself relax with Tom like she had with Marinette.

"Tom, who's this?" a woman emerged from the kitchen and Kagami immediately knew this was Marinette's mother. Her eyes were like Marinette said, and she couldn't help but see where Marinette got her nurturing but fierce nature from with the way Sabine's eyes sparkled.

"Hello, ma'am. My name's Kagami. Marinette invited me to your meal. I hope that is okay." Kagami introduced herself.

"Oh, wonderful! It will be nice to have you try our dishes to see what you think! It's usually just Kim's family and ours eating these." Sabine's gentle smile made Kagami feel like she knew her her entire life and that she was always welcome in their home. It was such a contrast to her house environment, and a part of her never wanted to leave the warmness of this family.

"Thank you." Kagami said.

"Will Kim be here soon?" Marinette asked. Kagami felt a pang of worry. Was she not good company for Marinette?

However, before Kagami could fret for long, Marinette laced their hands together, making Kagami internally melt. Marinette held up their arms like they were claiming victory.

"I can't wait to show him he's not the only one with muscles. Kagami is a great fencer! She'll give him a run for his money." Marinette laughed. Kagami and her locked eyes, and Marinette gave her a wink making Kagami smile softly.

"Don't you go to the gym with him, Sweetie? Last lunch he said you could bench press him with all the weights you lift." Tom teased. Marinette laughed.

"He's just looking for you all to stroke his ego and reassure him he's better than me." Marinette waved it off. Tom looked like he knew something Marinette didn't, and Kagami had to wonder if Adrien wasn't the only suitor Marinette had. The thought made Kagami frown.

A knock sounded, and the family turned their attention to the door.

"That must be Cam and Hien with Kim. Marinette, could you let them in?" Sabine's eyes sparked the same way, as if she knew something Marinette wasn't aware of. Kagami narrowed her eyes as she observed Marinette rolling her eyes with a grin and open the door to see the Le Chien family with Kim immediately giving her a bear hug. Marinette responded by squeezing him tight and Kim winced at her strength.

"Man, Ban gái, I swear you get stronger every time we hug." Kim whined with a goofy smile as he looked at the petite girl. Kagami's eyebrows raised, realizing what Kim was calling Marinette.

'Did he just refer to her as his girlfriend?' somehow this managed to make Kagami not like Kim. She couldn't name the reason why, but it rubbed her wrong that Kim was calling Marinette his girlfriend. Did Marinette even know what that meant?

"You're just getting weaker if you let a little girl best you. What would Alix say if she found out you were getting flabby?" Marinette teased, not bothered by the address. Either she knew about it and was used to it, or she didn't know what it meant and just assumed it meant something different.

"She'd probably say you're better than me too. She likes you more than me." Kim quipped, pouting. Marinette patted his arm, laughing.

"Come on, big boy, I have someone I want you to meet." Marinette told him. They turned their attention to Kagami and the girl squared her shoulders, not backing down to the hulking form of Kim. "This is Kagami. I ran into her while getting groceries for lunch and invited her."

"Oh, Japanese, right?" Kim asked, recognizing her name. Kagami nodded.

"Yeah. We moved here from Japan." Kagami said coolly. Kim grinned.

"Oh cool! Are we going to be having some Japanese dishes with our other dishes today too?" Kim asked excited.

"Oh wow, I didn't even think of that! Let's make some Japanese dishes as well!" Marinette beamed. Kagami was shocked they would even want to do that for her, her armor cracking with Kim and Marinette's statements.

"I… you don't have to do that. I came last minute." Kagami told them.

"So? Your culture should be included with ours! It's a lunch to celebrate our families!" Kim said, and goddammit, he was really making it hard for Kagami to hate him. Marinette looked ecstatic with the idea, and that made it even harder to say no.

Informing the parents, the kitchen was abuzz with activity as Sabine and Tom made the Chinese dishes, Cam and Hien made the Vietnamese, and Marinette and Kim joined Kagami with making the Japanese. Kagami couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun with friends. The warm atmosphere made her feel like she found home for the first time.

"Tada! Our lunch is complete!" Sabine announced. Everyone cheered at the display of foods they have made, and the group sat down for the meal, each trading stories and jokes like it was natural. Even Kagami let out a laugh once in a while.

As the meal went on, Kagami found she couldn't hate Kim, for he and Marinette both gave her something to treasure today, but she found that whatever she was feeling, she didn't want Marinette to be Kim's girlfriend. It was clear to Kagami that Kim liked Marinette, but Marinette, was oblivious, since she did not know the meaning of the nickname Kim had given her or his attempts to flirt with her.

"Sooo Kim, does Kagami get a nickname like me?" Marinette spoke, and Kagami gave him the death stare, daring him to give her a stupid nickname or something flirty. Kim gulped, tugging his collar.

"You're my best girl, Ban gái. Nicknames are only for you." Kim said quickly. Kagami smirked behind her glass.

"If that is the case. I would also like to give you a nickname, Marinette." Kagami chimed it. Marinette looked excited.

"Kim says his means best friend! What is yours going to mean, Kagami?" Marinette grinned. Kagami eyed Kim. Ah, so he told her the wrong meaning.

"Kanajo is what I would call you. It means best friend too." Kagami said, staring right into Kim's eyes challengingly, daring him to reveal it really means the same thing as his 'nickname'. Kim frowned, seeing Kagami's face of challenge. He wouldn't be giving Marinette up to some cool, but also scary, chick.

He wasn't lying when he said Marinette was his best girl. Many people liked her, and if Kim had to face yet another suitor for her, so be it.


There you go! Sorry it wasn't really that good. Please leave a comment if you can!