Tyler went about his normal duties on Monday morning. He would check on the designers, file paperwork, check on the other employees, and see if there was anything either Gabriel or Adrien needed. When he got to Adrien's office, he noticed that the man was missing. He had not arrived yet for his shift. Tyler made a mental note to go back to the office later. He went to see Gabriel.
"Have you checked on the status of the outfits for the autumn showcase? It is in a week." he said without looking up from his desk.
"Yes. Everything should be complete by the end of the week. Some of the designers are already working on their designs for the winter showcase." he said.
"Wonderful. Please be sure to keep track of when the current designs are complete." he said. Tyler nodded and left the room. He walked to the designers' offices. He checked the offices of the lead designers first and worked his way down. Many of them were putting finishing touches on their designs. When he made his way into Marinette's office to check on the status of her designs he found her with her notebook open, but she had her head laying on the desk and she was snoring.
"Ms. Dupain-Cheng." he said, shaking her gently.
"No, thank you." she muttered.
"Ms. Dupain-Cheng, wake up." he said quietly as he moved to shake her again. She flailed her arm to try to get him to leave her alone. "Ms. Dupain-Cheng, I don't want to have to report that you are sleeping to M. Agreste." he said, tapping on her shoulder. She groaned and he set his jaw and shook his head. "Okay, if that's how you want it to be." he said. He turned to leave the office.
As he was leaving the office, he spotted the younger Agreste arriving. "Tyler, good morning." Adrien said with a smile, seeming happier than he had in the past two months.
"Good morning, Adrien." he replied. He then looked back into the office behind him. Adrien looked behind him as well. "I couldn't wake her." he said. "Do you want me to put an official reprimand on her file?" he asked.
"Isn't all of her work for the autumn showcase done?" Adrien asked. Tyler nodded. "I don't think it's too much of an issue. Let her have some well-deserved rest." he added, patting Tyler on the shoulder.
"But she's started working on her designs for the winter showcase." Tyler stated.
"She'll still be able to finish those designs. She has more time than most of the others. I wouldn't worry about it." Adrien stated. Tyler nodded again.
"Adrien. Do you...do you favor Ms Dupain-Cheng since the two of you were in the same class?" he asked hesitantly.
"No, I don't favor her. If it was anyone else, I would treat them the same." Adrien said defensively. Tyler raised an eyebrow. "I mean, she is my friend and…" Adrien trailed off. "It's complicated, but I don't favor her. She works hard. She deserves a break every now and then." he said.
"If people see you favoring her, they won't like it." Tyler commented. Adrien nodded.
"I'll take that under advisement." he said, patting Tyler on the shoulder.
"Adrien." Tyler said as Adrien started to walk away. Adrien turned back toward his assistant. "Why are you late?" he asked, his cold gaze boring into Adrien who didn't even flinch as he stared back.
"I overslept." Adrien stated simply.
"Does this have anything to do with why Ms. Dupain-Cheng is asleep right now?" Tyler asked with narrowing eyes, his mind already made up about what was going on between the two of them.
"No." Adrien said simply.
"Good, because your father wouldn't be happy with you fraternizing with a designer for the label. She might lose her job if you and she were in a relationship because, let's face it, you aren't dispensable to this company, but she is." Tyler stated coldly.
"Understood." Adrien stated, his expression turning sour. "I guess it is a good thing that she and I aren't a couple or anything." He added. "I'll be in my office." He said as he made his way past Tyler.
Tyler nodded. The assistant had noticed how both Marinette and Adrien became depressed around the same time and how Adrien had taken more of an interest in how she was working than the other designers and yet stayed away from her during that time. He assumed that something had gone on between the two, but had no proof. He had seen indications of favoritism toward her from Adrien before, but it had never been so direct. He didn't want to do the paperwork involved with an official reprimand, but also didn't want for the other designers to see Adrien's favoritism. That was why he went back to Gabriel's office.
"M. Agreste?" He asked hesitantly at the door.
"Yes." Gabriel said simply.
"I feel as if Adrien may be favoring one of the designers. Mme. Dupain-Cheng." He said, slowly. He had tried to come up with the best way to word the statement on the way to Gabriel's office, but couldn't manage to come up with a way of explaining the situation without being blunt.
"Why yes, her work is exquisite." Gabriel stated without looking up. Tyler couldn't tell if Gabriel didn't understand what he'd meant or if he was trying to deflect.
"I don't mean her work. I mean her. I found her sleeping in her office this morning and Adrien said that he didn't want me to put an official reprimand in her file." Tyler stated.
Gabriel slowly looked up at the assistant. Tyler couldn't tell from the stare what Gabriel was thinking. "And what did Adrien have to say about this?" He asked, his voice cold and terrifying.
"He said that she worked hard and deserved a break because she has her work for the autumn showcase done." He said, resisting the urge to stutter.
"And do you have any proof of his favoritism other than this?" Gabriel asked in that same calculating voice.
"Well, no sir." Tyler said hesitantly.
"Then I would suggest not wasting my time." Gabriel stated, going back to his work. Tyler nodded and turned to leave. He heard Gabriel resume writing. "Oh, and Tyler." He stated, causing Tyler to turn. "You may want to strongly consider whether you want to continue to work here. Questioning your direct supervisor and then disputing the result with me could cost you your employment." He added coldly without looking up again as the computer next to him chimed to alert him of a new email.
"Yes, sir." Tyler said with a nod as he left the room. His face turned sour and he couldn't help the anger that built in him as he made his way to his office. He didn't know why he even tried to go to Gabriel. He couldn't help but to feel that the whole situation was unfair. There was clearly some fraternization between Adrien and Marinette and yet his job was threatened for pointing it out.
Marcus was early to work for once. He made his way to his desk and started looking through the company emails to determine if there were any issues with the website for the customers. He found only small issues that were able to be resolved quickly. He then worked on a new design for the home page of the site. Gabriel insisted that it needed to be changed for each upcoming showcase. Since many of the designs were complete, he knew he would be able to come up with something for the autumn showcase. He had been working on the basic design since just before the previous site had gone live. He liked to incorporate the designs that the designers made, though, and had requested pictures of the works when they were finished. However, he hadn't received pictures from all of the designers of their primary work for the showcase.
He worked in as much as he could before he messaged the remaining designers for pictures of their work. There were only three that he was missing. Two of them responded right away. He knew that it wasn't too urgent to get the other designs as the new full site design wouldn't launch until after the showcase. He worked in what he had and sent the workup to Gabriel in an email for approval.
He was about to leave his desk to go to lunch when he received a reply.
I'm disappointed, I would have thought you would include even one design from the most prominent designer in the company at this time. This layout simply won't work, you'll need to redesign the entire page.
Gabriel
Marcus glared at the screen. Of course the page hadn't been completed, but he didn't think that it would have to be completely redone just because the work of one designer was missing. He found himself glaring at the computer in front of him in anger. He had worked for months on the design and he couldn't help but to feel like it wasn't fair that Gabriel had dismissed it within a minute.
No one noticed the single black butterfly flit into the Agreste building, searching for its victim. However, within minutes the employees were rushing outside in a panic as chaos started to ensue. Adrien had felt that something was wrong just before the screaming started. When it did, he rushed out of his office and looked for the source of the screaming. When he saw it, his eyes widened. There was an akumatized victim dressed in black and white. However, that wasn't what had caught his attention. No, what had caught his attention was the box that the victim was holding.
"Soon, equality will be realized and the world will be balanced and fair." The man said. "Soon, I will have Ladybug's miraculous and then the world will be equal." He said. Adrien knew why he wasn't talking about getting Chat's miraculous. He already had it in the small black box. All Adrien could do was wonder why the akuma hadn't put the ring on and started wrecking havoc with both his own powers and the power of the miraculous. He didn't have time for that, though. He rushed to Marinette's office and closed the door, locking it behind him.
"Marinette" he said quickly as he rushed to her. "Marinette" he said shaking the girl.
"What?" She whined.
"You need to get up. There's an akuma." He said. Suddenly, Marinette sat upright.
"What?" She shrieked as Adrien moved to put a hand over her mouth.
"There's no time. We need to get you out of here." He said.
"W-what do you mean? Why are you getting me?" She asked, confused as to why Adrien would have rushed to her. She saw a look that she couldn't interpret cross his face.
"We don't have time, Marinette. He's out there." He said.
"But what are you doing here?" She asked. Adrien hung his head for only a moment.
"I'm getting you up because Chat Noir's been akumatized." He said in a low voice.
"How do you know it's Chat?" She asked.
"H-he only wants Ladybug's miraculous. He already has Chat Noir's." He stated, trying quickly to come up with a reason. Marinette looked like she wanted to say more, but then the door handle jiggled. He quickly turned back to the door and hunching his shoulders slightly, ready to spring into action if needed.
He knew that it was probably another worker looking for somewhere to hide. After all, his replacement didn't know who Ladybug was. There would be no reason for him to come to her office. "Get to cover." Marinette said, not knowing what kind of powers the akuma might have.
Adrien was about to respond when the door exploded sending splinters everywhere. The Equalizer was on the other side and smiled when he saw Marinette.
"Give me your miraculous." He said, lifting a hand toward her.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Marinette replied with a snarl.
"Have it your way." He said before a purple butterfly shape illuminated his face. He then smirked and turned, pointing at Adrien a white light flashed toward him like lightning and he didn't have time to dodge it. Adrien was struck with the power and bowed his head briefly before looking up at Marinette. "Make things fair." Equalizer said with a laugh. "Give her what she deserves." Adrien didn't see what Marinette did, but soon she was attacking Equalizer as Ladybug. "Give her what she deserves, Adrien." Equalizer urged.
Adrien suddenly rushed forward and quickly joined the fight. However, the look on Equalizers face indicated that the akumatized victim hadn't expected Adrien's fist to fly toward him. Ladybug was clearly surprised, too as she had dodged his incoming attack and then watched as he continued to attack the man in front of him. Adrien's face was blank as he fought.
"What are you doing?" Equalizer asked as he managed to get away for a moment.
"Ladybug deserves help." Was all that Adrien said as he rushed at the villain again. He was pulled back, though as a yoyo wrapped around his wrist.
"Stop, Adrien. You need to get to cover." Ladybug said, clearly worried about something.
"You deserve help. It's the only way to be fair." He said simply as he tried to go back to the Equalizer.
"I deserve to be listened to." Ladybug stated. Adrien stopped struggling and looked back at her briefly. Ladybug stared at him as she flicked her wrist and the yoyo went back to her. Adrien simply nodded.
"Yes, you do." He said briefly.
Ladybug then looked over to Equalizer to see him smirking. While she had been distracted, he had placed others under his power. He turned to run through the building. Ladybug didn't know what his intentions were, but she couldn't let him get away. She chased after him and into a lobby full of chaos. Workers that hadn't been able to evacuate were now exacting what they felt was justice on each other. "Lucky Charm" Ladybug shouted as she ran, throwing her yoyo into the air.
The yoyo came back down with a red and black fishing pole. Ladybug looked around as she ran, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do with the charm. She saw the door, Equalizer's pocket, and the fishing pole flash as she formed a plan. She stopped running to cast the fishing line at the door. The hook said through the handle of the door and Ladybug pulled the line tight to shut the door before Equalizer got to it. He then turned to her as she wound the other end of the string around a desk leg to keep the door closed.
Ladybug watched as he pointed at her and knew that she had to act. She rushed forward, moving from side to side so that it would be more difficult for him to hit her. She then slid along the floor and grabbed at the pocket that had lit up before. She heard the fabric tear and felt an object within the fabric that she was now clutching. The Equalizer didn't even seem to notice what had happened. However, Ladybug quickly threw the object to the ground and stomped on it. She only realized what it was after the little black butterfly was flitting away. She stared down at the USB drive that was in about three pieces briefly before she used her yoyo to capture and purify the akuma. The then set everything right. She looked away as the costume melted away.
"Y-you can give me the ring. I'll look after it." She said, not looking at him. Adrien had said this was Chat and she wasn't interested in knowing what his true identity was.
"No, he was going to take it back today." He said. "If it's not on my desk, he won't be able to get it." He added in a worried voice.
"You've been through a lot, but I think I know how to get it back to him." She said as she heard her miraculous start to beep. "Hurry." She said, suddenly panicked.
"I'm so sorry for whatever I did." He said as Ladybug still didn't feel the box being pushed into her hand. "I just felt so...so angry and hurt."
"If you don't hurry up, my transformation will drop. I know that you're sorry. You don't have to be. You were the victim here." She said, closing her eyes as she turned toward him.
"I let you down, though." He said.
"It wasn't your fault." Ladybug replied.
"You don't understand…"
"Give me the box now, I need to go." Ladybug said quickly as her earrings beeped again. Suddenly she felt the box being shoved into her hand and she turned and ran, finally opening her eyes again, back to her office. She slammed the door behind her just before she transformed back, thankful that there wasn't a window on the door.
"M-Marinette…" Tikki stuttered.
"What is it, Tikki?" She asked. When the kwami didn't answer, Marinette looked down at her to see her staring behind Marinette. The girl's eyes widened as she turned, she hadn't looked around the room when she rushed in. Her eyes fell on Adrien.
"Adrien, I…" she trailed off.
"I know." He said. Marinette thought back to what Tikki had said to her months ago. That Adrien knew who she was.
"The...night I spent at your apartment?" She asked and he nodded.
"I didn't want you to get upset that I knew. You talked about having...well, you talked about your time with Chat. I...well, I just know that he wouldn't have done that with anyone else." He said.
"Th-that's not... I mean...I didn't…"
"I see that you have his ring now." Adrien interrupted her. Marinette looked down at her hand and then up at Adrien. Suddenly her eyes widened.
"How did you know this was Chat's ring?" She asked. Adrien's eyes widened.
"I uh...I didn't...uh…"
"When you came to get me up, you knew that it was Chat because he had the ring, but it wasn't on. It was in this box. How did you know?" She asked, looking at him.
"Why do you have it?" He asked.
"I was going to give it to a mutual friend." Marinette said, gauging Adrien's response carefully. He couldn't look at her, a worried look then took over his face.
"Something's wrong with her." He said, Marinette looked down to see that Tikki had sank to the floor.
"Tikki!" She exclaimed and bent to pick the kwami up. "What's wrong, Tikki?" She asked.
"I'm just hungry, Marinette. You shouldn't worry so much." Tikki said with a shiver.
"I have some cheese in my office if you need it." Adrien said. Marinette looked up at him.
"Cheese? Why would she want cheese?" She asked, suddenly remembering the camembert he'd left by her purse when she'd spent the night.
"Isn't that what she eats?" He asked.
Marinette was about to speak when Tikki coughed in her hand. "Yeah, could you go and get the cheese?" She asked. Adrien nodded and rushed from the room. Marinette looked down at Tikki. "What's wrong? You're never this weak after a fight." She said.
"It's nothing, Marinette." Tikki responded.
"No, something is wrong." Marinette insisted.
"This happens, Marinette. It's completely normal." Tikki said. Marinette was about to push for more information when Adrien returned, shutting the door behind him. Marinette offered the cheese that he gave her to Tikki. "Blegh, this stuff is horrible." The kwami complained as she ate.
"I thought you would like it." Adrien addressed Tikki all too casually for Marinette's liking.
"I'm not Plagg." Tikki said angrily as she took another hesitant bite.
"How did you know she could eat cheese?" Marinette asked.
"I, uh...I didn't want…" Adrien hung his head.
"Adrien, what's going on with you?" She asked. Adrien heaved a large sigh before he spoke without looking up at her.
"Are...are liars still losers?" He asked hesitantly.
"Chat?" Marinette asked. The only time she had ever said it like that had been when she was with Chat and Copycat. Even her statement to Lila was slightly different and that was the only time she'd mentioned her distaste for liars in front of Adrien. He looked up at her slowly.
"I…wanted to wait to tell you…until I had it back." He said.
"W-who gave you the ring?" She asked, not knowing why she was testing him.
"Master Fu, the same one who gave you your miraculous." He said quietly.
"What did you say to me after we fought Lady WiFi?"
"That I needed to know who you were and I wouldn't tell anyone, Cat's Honor." he responded with a smirk, remembering the event fondly.
"What would you call me when you visited me at my parent's bakery?" She asked.
"Princess." He said. "Your parents always made the best croissants." He then looked at Marinette to see her lip quivering. "Marinette." He said, closing his eyes as if he was hurt. "Don't cry." He said.
"You knew." She said, her voice cracking. He looked at her. "You knew it was me and you played with my feelings." She said.
"I didn't know when we…." He trailed off.
"At the wedding." She said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I wasn't...I didn't mean...I shouldn't have kissed you. I couldn't help myself. You looked so beautiful and I missed you so much. I just…" he trailed off.
"And when you came to my apartment after?" She asked.
"I wanted to make sure you were alright." He said. "I was worried about you." He added.
"And when I went to see you as Ladybug and you said you weren't him?" She asked, sniffling. Adrien closed the space between them and pulled Marinette into a hug. To his surprise, she let him.
"I wasn't ready for you to know then. I wasn't even ready to know who you were. I am now." he whispered into her ear. He felt her arms surround him and her hands grasp his shirt as she released a sob into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry that you've been hurt. I just needed time." He added.
"Adrien, I…I don't…" she trailed off as he turned to kiss her cheek. Her tears continued to fall as his lips made contact with her skin.
"I didn't mean to hurt you." He whispered before moving to kiss her cheek again. He had closed his eyes when he did and he felt her move slightly in his embrace. He hadn't been prepared, however, to connect with her soft, warm lips. She obviously hadn't either as both of them froze. Adrien broke the chaste kiss after a moment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean." He stated, pulling back to look her in the eyes.
"K-kitty?" she stuttered hesitantly. Adrien was about to respond when the door behind him creaked open.
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. Homework and my internship have been kicking my butt.
SylverIscariot: I'm glad that you like it. Hopefully there weren't too many tears this chapter.
NoodleSoupIsYummy: Right now, she's a bit shocked and hurt, but who knows what that'll turn into.
HopelessRomantic183: Well, if Marinette was pregnant and it went how mine did, she would have been having symptoms within a week. But yes, it has been two months since they were together and some women don't have symptoms for a considerable amount of time. So, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Netko: Sorry it took so long to update. Again, I've been really busy. However, I do intend to wrap this up within the next few chapters actually. I'm aiming for about 15 chapters total.
