lol all the people w/ fighting and fencing knowledge validating my comment in last chapter's author's note. Don't worry, cat boy will learn how to use his claws soon.

Happy birthday Qookyquiche and Ferisae, birthday buddies x3 Have a happy chapter featuring excited Adrien.


Marinette nearly threw a party the day she found out that it had been two weeks since there had been any notable mentions of them in Chloe's magazines. Just as Adrien had predicted, the local media had realized they were a vanilla couple and pretty much moved on. No doubt they'd come sniffing around again around the holidays or if she and Adrien were spotted at an event together but for now, they were free to continue on with their lives completely paparazzi free.

If one good thing had come from the last month and half, then it was that she had gained some perspective. She'd constantly had to look over her shoulder whenever they were in public. More than once they'd caught someone with a camera loitering outside the bakery, forcing one of her parents (usually Tom) to go deal with them. She knew what she'd gone through was nothing compared to what a movie star her age would but she felt like she could empathize with them now. And she understood why his father insisted Adrien have a bodyguard.

Hell, if she had to put up with the attention she got as Ladybug every single day of her life, she'd have probably gotten herself a bodyguard a long time ago, too.


Marinette had been thinking long and hard about what Adrien had said in regards to preparing for the future financially. True, getting a job would not be a good idea for her right now, but her only real source of income was the occasional commission work she did for friends and peers, all of which went into buying herself more fabric and supplies. She…supposed she could cut back on her spending habits for her hobby and start saving some of it…but the idea was very unappealing. Perhaps she could start advertising and get more commissions?

Tikki, too, had been giving it some thought, and ended up thinking of the best idea. "Jagged Stone!"

"Jagged Stone?" Marinette repeated.

Tikki nodded eagerly. "Remember the album cover you designed? Didn't you get a pretty big salary for that? Plus royalties?"

Of course she remembered, but the money she was earning from that was going into a special savings account that her parents had set up to fund her university studies. She couldn't just not use it when the time came and if she tried to do anything with it, they would inevitably find out and that would not end well.

"I know, I know," Tikki assured her, "though I don't know how much money is in there, there's a chance you'll have some left over by the time school is finished. Buuuut," she drawled, "if you were to design another album cover for him…you definitely will."

Marinette's eyes widened and her mind took off at the speed of light. Tikki reclined back in the air, folding her arms behind her head with a satisfied grin on her face. "It's been a while since his last album," the little god went on. "Don't you think it's about time he released a new one?"

"Marinette! Right on! You have the best luck or the best timing in the world!"

"Hahah, well, I mean, I've been told I'm pretty lucky before."

"Believe it, kid, because my agent and I were just talking about you."

"O-oh. Really?"


The kwami had promised their hosts some time ago that the bond between them would eventually mature to the point that they would be able to sense when the other was near. The awareness had begun to develop right around the time that they learned each other's identities and the timing was completely coincidental according to the kwami. In the span of nearly two months, Marinette had grown accustomed to always being aware of Adrien on some level since they lived so close and went to school together, and a little dependent on it.

The constant awareness of him had become a source of comfort for her. She liked knowing that he was near, that she would know if something was wrong, and that she could get to him quickly if she wanted. The few times he had gone too far for her to sense him, she had spent the hours agitated and unable to rest even though logically she knew he was fine and simply at a photoshoot. He, too, had been unable to settle and the shoot hadn't gone well.

Separation anxiety was a normal part of cognitive development in human children and, apparently, for budding Guardians as well. Tikki reassured them that they would get used to it in due time. After all, they'd lived most their lives that way.

Marinette had also begun learning how to recognize when he was drawing nearer to her. It was like a thought in the back of her mind slowly moving to the forefront, a small fairy light growing to the size and brightness of a lamp in her room. It could be missed if she wasn't paying attention.

So focused on her work, Marinette nearly did miss it. In fact, he was in her living room before she even noticed him. She'd asked him to come over once he was finished with his photoshoot that day so they could discuss some things.

The door to her room swung open and Adrien's head appeared just in time for Marinette to close out of the music player on her computer. She'd been given a copy of two songs on the upcoming album for inspiration on the condition that she not let anyone else hear them, including family and friends. (The contract said nothing about gods, though, so she figured Tikki got a pass.) She also switched her tablet screen off, no reason to spoil the surprise early.

"Hey, Maribug," he greeted cheerfully.

The newest edition to Adrien's repertoire of nicknames for her, 'Maribug' was hitting the nail right on the head. She'd figured out some time ago that Chat Noir used nicknames as a sign of affection, a habit she'd glimpsed in Adrien on rare occasions. Now that he knew who she was, Adrien was about as shy as using her nicknames as Chat Noir had been. She had no problem with it, really, so long as he saved the really incriminating noes like 'my lady' for when it was only them. He'd tried calling her Princess once but Marinette had made a face at it and he'd seemingly shelved it. Maribug had been a slip of the tongue but it had stuck.

"Minou," she greeted. If nicknames were gonna be their thing, then she was going to need to come up with better ones for him than what she was already working with. Most of them were incriminating and 'Handsome Boy' was just not gonna cut it.

"What were you listening to just now?" he asked as he entered the room. The door stayed open at her parents' request, not that it really mattered since they were both down in the bakery at this time of day.

Plagg flew out of Adrien's pocket and Tikki zipped into the air to greet him.

"Oh…just something," she replied lightly.

"Sounded like Jagged Stone."

Marinette's eyes flicked skywards and she tried to look as innocent as possible. Adrien didn't buy it for a second. "Maaaaariiiiiiiii," he sing-songed, creeping closer. "Was that Jagged Stone?"

"Maaaaaaybe."

Adrien was right in front of her now. Her eyes flicked to his and then away again and she saw him grin. "What are you working on here?" He tapped the tablet screen.

"Well, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

Picking the tablet up, she walked over to her chaise and sat down against the back of it and crossed her legs to give Adrien room to sit in front of her. He leaned back on his hands and gave her an eager look.

"So, I've been thinking a lot about what you said the other day, about the future and money," she began and the eagerness faded from his expression, replaced by wariness and confusion. "I have a source of income right now: my commissions. I don't have very many, though, and I usually use that money to buy supplies anyway. I can't really take away from that and even if I did, it would only be a few euros from each job, not much to make a difference."

"I already told you, I can do this for us," Adrien started but Marinette held up her hand.

"Let me finish."

He sighed, eyes flicking skyward, but nodded.

"Tikki mentioned Jagged Stone as an idea. I don't know if I ever told you this, but I got paid pretty good for designing the cover."

Adrien smiled. "I remember wondering about that. You did awesome, you deserved to be paid for it."

"Yeah, I was, and I get royalties!" she went on excitedly. "It's not much but a small cut of every album sold goes to me. Mama and Papa played my lawyers for that so I don't remember what percentage exactly…oh, but it all goes into a special bank account they set up to receive it."

"And you want to use this money to fund us?" he guessed, looking less than thrilled at the idea.

She shook her head. "Even if I really wanted to, I couldn't. The plan is for me to use the money to fund my university studies."

"Really?"

"If I study in Paris the costs won't be so bad but I'll still have to get my own materials. And any money leftover can help me get a start, either moving out on my own or starting my own business." Her expression fell. "I…well, I was hoping to work in the industry but with our lives shaping up the way they are, I doubt that's going to work."

"Mari…" he said gently and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"No, no…I'm coming to terms with it, I have been for a while. Hey, just because I can't work in the industry like your dad does doesn't mean I still can't design and make clothes. I just can't become famous."

His hand tightened. "You'd deserve it."

Marinette smiled. "Thanks, Adrien." Adrien eyed her for a moment longer then withdrew his hand. "So, like I was saying, the money I got from that cover is completely off limits. But Tikki was thinking…it's been a little while since then…isn't it about time Jagged Stone was putting out a new album?"

Adrien's eyes went as round as saucers. He looked at her computer where she had been playing music before he'd come in then back at her and she pressed her lips together to contain a giggle as he put two and two together. "No," he whispered then looked at her again. "No!" he repeated and his mouth stretched into a broad grin. "No way! You didn't! You aren't!"

Marinette clamped her tongue between her teeth and turned her tablet screen back on, holding it up for him to see the design she was working on.

"OHMYGOD!" Adrien yelled, lunging at her, and wrapped her in a tight hug. She shrieked and nearly dropped her tablet. He drew back quickly, hands on her shoulders, grinning ear to ear. "How did you even manage that!?"

"I have his agent's phone number," she laughed. "I just decided to call the other day and he told me that he'd been planning on getting ahold of me because he wanted me to design the new cover!"

"That's incredible!" He looked down at the tablet and she held it up. Accepting it carefully, his eyes roved around the screen, taking in every little detail.

"It isn't finished yet," she explained, "and I have a few design ideas I want to draw out before submitting them to him—"

"This is amazing," he blurted, awed. "You're amazing! And that music you were listening to—"

"From the new album for inspiration. But I signed an agreement, I'm not allowed to let anyone listen," she warned him before he could ask.

Adrien pouted. "Did Tikki get to listen?"

"Yep!" Tikki piped up from across the room. Adrien's pout worsened.

Marinette pushed lightly against his nose with her finger. "Tikki is a god. The contract said nothing about gods."

"I'm a demi-god," he pointed out, going cross-eyed for a moment, then he mock-bit at her finger.

"You're a Guardian."

"Same difference, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, Adrien. Come on, you know how NDA's work, don't you?"

He sighed heavily. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

"Buuut, I guess I could call and see if, maybe, Ladybug and Chat Noir could listen?" she grinned mischievously.

Adrien blinked once then looked around the room. "Where's your phone?"

She laughed and shook her head, taking the tablet back. "Later, chaton. Later. Let me finish explaining first!" Adrien sat back obediently but his eyes and expression were alight with joy. "So, I'm getting paid about the same as last time for the design, as well as royalties again. By the time we're ready to move on whatever, I should have a lot of money built up for us. Maybe not as much as you've made but it's better than nothing, right?"

"A lot better," he agreed. "You're a genius."

"It was Tikki's idea."

"Yeah but you're the one who's made it work. This is just awesome."


"Heeyy! How's my favorite designer doing? The cover coming along good?"

"Yeah, I think so! I've got a couple of ideas and I'm nearly done with the first. I'll send you them all as soon as I'm done."

"Sounds good. So what's up?"

"Well, I uh…I have a question. I know that contract I signed says I'm not allowed to let anyone else hear the songs but, um, do you think we can make an exception?"

"An exception."

"Yeah, you see, I might have told two of my friends what I'm doing and they're huge fans of yours and they would really love to listen."

"…Marinette…"

"I think you know them, too! Their names are Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"GET ME THEIR AUTOGRAPHS AND YOU'VE GOT A DEAL. AND AN EXCEPTION."


excited Adrien being adorable and supportive of his girlfriend :') These kids have had a well-deserved break, wouldn't you agree?

As always, feel free to come chat on tumblr. My url is wintermoth! If you want to, feel free to tag anything about this fic with "ML Guardians AU"