Disclaimer:

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir is not mine. I'm only a fangirl.


Chapter 12 - Sweet Dreams

Alya opened the hatch to Marinette's room to find her best friend pacing back and forth across the room with her cell phone to her ear.

"I can't, Adrien. I told you, I'm super behind at school. I have a huge history assignment, and I have three calculus assignments to turn in by Monday, and that government class I'm taking is killing me—"

There was silence while Alya watched Marinette listen to whatever Adrien was saying.

"You really don't have to do that. I mean…yes, I'd appreciate the help, but…No. I haven't played Mecha Strike in a while…No…What makes you think you could beat me?" She waved hello at Alya briefly, then turned her eyes up toward the skylight while the hint of a smile turned up the corners of her mouth. "Okay, okay. I'll come over….yes, I was going to walk…No! Adrien! That is totally un-…" Marinette sighed and rolled her eyes. "Alright. I'll meet Gorilla outside my place at 6."

She ended the call and plopped down on her lounger like she didn't know what had just happened.

Alya knew, though. Adrien was back. At least in the sense that he was communicating with his friends again. He'd been texting Nino about getting together sometime this weekend. He'd emailed Alya a great news article about Ladybug yesterday. And as for Marinette…

"Has he called you every day this week?"

Marinette nodded.

Alya smirked. "Long calls? Like…calls where you chat forever about random stuff and you have to be the one to tell him you have to go?"

"Except for just now," Marinette admitted. "But I think that's because I'm going over to his house in an hour. He swears he can help me with history, and maybe that government class, too."

Alya sat down beside Marinette and slipped her arm around her best friend's waist. "I remember back when you could barely talk to Adrien Agreste. Now who has the major crush?" She squeezed Marinette. "This is perfect. He's way into you."

Marinette groaned a little, but laughed, too. "He's not into me. He just has a therapist who told him it would be a good idea to try to spend time with me so he could work out his fears about me being attacked by someone who thinks I am his girlfriend. He's actually in love with some other girl. He was telling me about her just last week."

Alya didn't know what she was going to do with her clueless friend. "Marinette, how can you be so smart about other people's relationships and completely miss what's going on with your own? He confided in you! It probably felt really good for him to find someone he could trust, and obviously that made him start thinking about you in some new way. I told you Adrien would figure out how amazing you were one day, didn't I?"

"I think he's just trying to be a good friend," Marinette said, "And it's lower risk for him to build back up a relationship with me than with the girl he really loves."

"And I think he's going to try to kiss you tonight," Alya countered.

"When? Between government and history? Or after I knock out those sexy calculus assignments?" Marinette leaned her head sideways against Alya's shoulder. "He's bribing me with Mecha Strike Avengers II to do homework, Alya. This is not a date."

"You're right," Alya said seriously. "This is way better than a date. This is Adrien in head-over-heals-boy-like-mode, inviting you to hang out alone in his room, so he can help you get something done that he knows is stressing you out, so you'll be in a more relaxed and happy mood when he tries to make a play on you." Alya was confident about her assessment. The whole thing was so boy-typical. It even made her think of what Nino had been like when they'd first started dating. She nudged Marinette. "You better tell me everything that happened tomorrow."

Marinette sighed. "We'll see, Alya. Did you bring the stuff? We better look it over before I have to go."

Alya tapped her bag. Marinette's problem with the animals eating her plants on the roof was getting way out of hand. "Got your back. You'll know exactly what's killing your flowers with this video equipment. Let's go set it up."


"Alya had a lot of enthusiasm," Tikki said after Alya had left. "And you don't really think Adrien just wants to do homework and play video games, do you?"

Marinette smiled at Tikki. "He said he was in love with someone else. And so am I. Right now he just needs a friend. I'm glad I can be there for him."

"If that's what you really think," Tikki said doubtfully.

But that was not what Marinette really thought. Because really, Adrien had called Marinette every day since the day she'd shooed him away from her room so she could cry about Chat Noir in private, and it just…wasn't what she had expected at all.

He had been cheery with her. He'd told her about the Russian tutor he hated (because she apparently reminded him of Chloé, except that he thought maybe she was trying to steal stuff from his house) and about the possible move to St. Petersburg (he thought it was an empty threat, "but I swear, Marinette, my dad has been acting so weird lately, nothing would surprise me"). He also told her about Gorilla's new sidekick bodyguards (he referred to them as "Right" and "Left," but he mixed them up sometimes), and about a modeling gig he'd had to do last week in an abandoned train station ("one word, Marinette: rats").

He called at night, after he thought her homework was probably done. He never seemed to run out of things to say, but he didn't keep her up too late, either. She was too tired to be kept up late, so he almost always ended the call when he heard her yawn — something that had embarrassed her the first time it had happened, but which he seemed to expect by the third time. ("That was my cue. Time for me to say goodnight, Marinette," is what he'd said last night, like this whole Adrien-calling-her-at-night-to-talk was the kind of thing he wanted to continue long enough that he'd worked out stuff like what his cue for saying goodnight to her should be.)

He also texted. A lot. And he teased more in texts than he did when they talked, so it felt like a whole different side of his personality coming out. Tuesday afternoon during calculus, he'd made her laugh so hard with a text chain comparing a Jagged Stone song to an episode of Stranger Things that the teacher almost caught her texting in class. Alya didn't miss nearly as much as their calc teacher did, though, so after class she demanded that Marinette hand over her phone.

"Oh. My. God," she'd said. Then she held the phone up to Marinette's face. "Are these from Adrien? Your Adrien? The guy you can't talk to without stuttering?"

"He's not my Adrien," Marinette had tried to explain. "And obviously I'm not having trouble talking with him any more."

Alya's eyes bugged almost out of her head, then she went back to the phone and scrolled through the messages. "Obviously he's flirtexting with you! I can't believe it. And some of these are really funny." She scrolled through the messages and frowned. "Except for that one. That pun was awful. But otherwise…who is this guy and what did he do with Adrien?"

Marinette had no response for that. She wasn't sure what had happened either. This was not the reaction she thought she was going to get from Adrien Agreste to his discovery that she was in love with Chat Noir.

Not that she had ever expected him to find out she was in love with Chat Noir at all. That had not been in any of her plans, under any circumstance, but if she had ever imagined something like this happening, there was no way it would have happened the way it had happened in real life.

Adrien wasn't the kind of person who would ever have been a jerk to her about her unrequited love for a superhero who frolicked around in black leather (or at least high-quality knock-off material). He was a nice person. If she had ever dreamed this up before, he probably would have been sympathetic to her grief. He'd have said something bland like: "I'm sorry, Marinette." He might have handed her a tissue or patted her shoulder. He might have hugged her. Might. Not crushed her into his chest like he couldn't stand seeing her cry like an idiot and would rather her ruin what was probably a very expensive shirt with her tears. Not kissed her, even in a harmless place, like the top of her head. Kissing was supposed to be out of the realm of possibility.

Also, when she asked him to leave, he was supposed to just leave and then avoid ever talking to her about it again. Ever. Instead, he'd called her exactly two hours later — on the dot — and launched immediately into: "First, Chat Noir is a dumb ass. He probably had no idea you cared about him. Second, we don't have to talk about him, but I've met the guy a few times, so if you want to talk about him, we can. And third, do your parents put magic into those cookies? I wish I'd taken some home. I can't stop thinking about them."

What Marinette couldn't stop thinking about was Adrien. Because she was sure Chat was the one she loved, but Chat was being a dumb ass, and Adrien had decided to wise up, and Adrien was the one who had somehow managed to talk her into coming over for dinner, homework and Mecha Strike.

Mecha Strike.

"A dozen cookies, just for him, and tell him we like it when he makes you smile," her mom said as Marinette watched for Gorilla and his town car to show up shortly thereafter on Thursday evening. "He's welcome here any time."

Marinette took the cookies but felt too warm in her wool coat. She unbuttoned it. "I don't know if I want him here any time. What if Chat finally decides to show back up and Adrien's with me playing Mecha Strike in my room?"

"If all you're doing is playing Mecha Strike, that probably wouldn't be too bad," her mother said in a far-too-innocent tone.

Marinette blushed all the way to the roots of her hair. "What if we're doing something…else?"

Her mom nodded sagely. "Then you'll know who you should stick with based on how they react to each other."

Marinette hoped it would be that easy.


Adrien was nervous. Marinette was sitting in his room, two feet away from him on his sofa, gnawing at the end of a pen as she read through her calculus notes one more time. He, in the meanwhile, had already finished going through her government and history notes. If she could get through the math, he was sure he could help her with the rest. He leaned back on his end of the sofa and tried to glance at the clock without making it obvious that he was checking the time. Quarter to eight. This was going to be a long homework night.

Not that he had expected it to be anything else. This, after all, was not a date.

Although Plagg begged to differ. The kwami had been practically jumping off furniture before Marinette arrived. "Oooh…dinner and homework and video games," he'd said, bounding from Adrien's desk to his foosball table and then to the couch. "Master Fu is good for you."

Adrien had gone to another appointment with Master Fu earlier in the week. He was finding the sessions helpful — though he still hadn't read more of that journal — and he thought maybe he was shaking off some of his fears. He was texting Nino again. He was considering the possibility of going back to school to finish out his last year.

But…he wasn't sure he could trust the man's dating advice.

"Master Fu said I should invite her over to watch Netflix and chill," Adrien had told Plagg. "Do you think he even knows what that means?"

Plagg smirked. "Just be glad he's trying to speak to you in your language, kid. That guy has mastered the entire kama sutra. And he clearly thinks you need to learn how to chill."

He did not need to learn how to "chill." He was frickin' Chat Noir. He was confident that his "chilling" abilities (though admittedly untested in the real world) were just fine. And anyway, he thought as he glanced over at Marinette glaring down at her calculus book, that's not what tonight was for. Marinette legitimately needed homework help. There would be no chilling.

He leaned sideways on the couch toward her. "You've been looking at that page for ten minutes."

She made a nasty face at the book, then threw her pen down. "I know, and I usually like calculus. But every time I try to understand this part, the numbers and lines just swirl together."

He reached over and picked up her calculus book from the table. She was using the same one he'd been using, though he was several lessons ahead. He read over the lesson.

"Can I see your notebook?" he asked.

She handed it over, leaned her head back and shut her eyes while he read through what she'd already done. Which was not very much.

He shut the book.

"You can't help me, then?" she said wearily.

He set the book aside. "You're too tired for calculus right now. I can't help you until you're awake enough to do it. Maybe we should move on to history."

She raked her fingers through her hair and yawned. "If I'm too tired for calculus, I don't see how history is going to be any easier. Maybe I should just go home and try to get some sleep."

Plagg had suggested that Adrien "make a move" during Mecha Strike. "Right after she kicks your ass the third time," had been his specific suggestion. Adrien had not planned on making any "moves" on Marinette, though. During homework or Mecha Strike, which he didn't think they were going to get to now. But there was something about a yawning, sleepy Marinette that made Adrien really really really want to snuggle. And this was as good an excuse as any, right? So he picked up her history book, scooted to sit next to her, and said, "Okay, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to read the history section to you, and all you have to do is sit here and listen. Then I'll help you think through the assignment."

She laughed.

"Why was that funny?" he asked, taking the laugh as an opportunity to slouch and scootch just close enough that his arm was now touching hers.

She laughed more, then covered her mouth like she was trying to keep it in.

"Oh, come on. What's the joke?"

"I just…" She blushed and did not finish that thought.

He'd scooted close enough for their legs to almost touch. She was warm next to him. It was nice. It made him want to put his arm around her shoulder. He bumped her knee experimentally with his, and he thought the laughter that came from her in response was more nervous giggle than regular laugh. "You just what?" he asked softly, then he bumped her knee again.

She calmed down briefly, looked down at their knees, and then bumped his back. "I just thought you really wanted to help me with homework."

He propped the history book up in his lap, flipped it open to the page her lesson started on, and managed to use that adjustment to shift even closer to her. "I do want to help you with homework. I told you I'd read the section to you."

She giggled again. Definitely that was giggling, he decided. He cleared his throat and began reading the assignment. Two pages later, he stopped.

"Still with me?" he asked, nudging her knee one more time, but this time leaving his leg so it rested against hers after the nudge.

She smiled down at their knees. "Still with you."

He read another page and a half, then stopped when she yawned again. There was no way she was awake enough for this either, but since she obviously wasn't getting enough rest at home, it didn't seem like it would be a terrible thing if she fell asleep here for a minute. Rest was almost as important as homework. He made an executive decision, shifted the book on his lap so he could hold it with one hand, and stretched his arm around her shoulder. Then he waited tensely to see what she would do.

She laughed again, but almost under her breath this time, and then he was pleased when she leaned her head against his chest. "Still just helping me with homework?" she asked playfully.

"Helping you until you fall asleep like this," he admitted while he arranged them both so she could rest against him more comfortably.

"Then I won't get my history assignment done."

"You can come over tomorrow after school for that."

She closed her eyes and nuzzled. "You're being…really nice to me. Is this a dream?"

There was something wonderful about having Marinette snuggled up with him while her breathing evened out and he felt her relaxing bit by bit. "Maybe my dream," he said.

"Not likely," she said with her eyes still shut. "I thought you were in love with the girl you used to work with."

"And I thought your thing was for Chat Noir."

She yawned again, so wide this time that he caught it and yawned too. "Yes. But Adrien Agreste has his arm around my shoulder. You're lucky I'm not drooling all over you. It's only because I'm so tired."

"I'll be luckier if you do start drooling over me," he said. "Because that will mean you've fallen asleep. And I think you desperately need the rest so that we can be productive tomorrow."

"Let's be productive now," she said. "Start reading again."

That seemed like the right idea to him, so he did start reading. He read all the way to the end of the assignment, in fact - though she'd fallen asleep far before then - on the grounds that maybe it would seep into her subconscious while she slipped into a dream. It was only half past eight. He set the book aside, grabbed his phone, set an alarm for half past nine and closed his eyes for what was supposed to be a single moment. He didn't open them again until he heard his alarm going off an hour later, and by then, she was cuddled snuggly against him, and he was tempted to press snooze when she turned her face into his chest.

He shut off the alarm, delayed for a few more seconds, and then squeezed her shoulders. She nuzzled more, which made him want to nuzzle back. But someone here had to be responsible, so he kissed her hair instead and whispered, "Hey Sleeping Beauty, it's time to get up."

She whimpered sweetly in her sleep. He kissed her hair again, rested his nose in it and kissed her a third time before he started trying to extricate himself from her arms. She clung to him resistantly, and he thought about how nice it would be if instead of forcing her out of his room, he could actually kiss her and maybe keep her here. Not for anything beyond kissing. Just maybe for more than one kiss, and maybe for taking her to his bed. Not for anything Master Fu would have suggested. Just maybe for a few more kisses, and then to fall asleep snuggled together, just one civilian teenager who was trying to forget about his crush on a superhero with another civilian teenager trying to forget about her crush on another superhero.

But…that was not something they could do. "Come on, Princess," he said. "We have to get you home."

And to that she tightened her hands in his shirt and said, "No, Chat."


Author's Note: I love writing fanfiction. It is so incredibly freeing to write a chapter and post it without knowing for sure what the next chapter will bring. But then there's this thing that happens sometimes, where you start trying to write the next chapter and none of the characters will behave and you end up with five versions of chapter 12 in a scrivener file, because that's how seriously you take your fanfiction. And sometimes there's this other thing, where you look back at a previous chapter and go, "Wow. That is a mighty big plot hole. And there's another. And another..." Then you end up having to go back and revise slightly, so that your story has some consistency. Then there's this third thing, where Season 2 comes out (kind of) and you start watching it and you're like, "Whoa, okay, this is awesome. Zag is awesome. And as for my story...well. I guess it just became AU."

All of those things are me right now, but I'm going to keep writing this story anyway, because tonight the cuddling scene at the end just worked for me. Hopefully I can stay true to the characters - a little - even as the actual show moves on.

My sincere apologies for the slow updates. I am trying to write faster on this, but I must confess that I'm also working on some original fiction right now. I get it, though. Chat Noir is a high priority. I shall endeavor not to let you down for so long again!