Chapter Two: Movie Star AU

"Chat Noir...Felix…" Ladybug looked down, shaking her head. "I have to do this."

"No! Ladybug, please. You can't!" Felix pleaded, tears sliding down his face. He struggled against the chains that bound him. "I won't let you!"

"I don't think you're in much of a position to let me do anything right now, kitty." She smiled ruefully, gesturing to his chains. "Hawkmoth wants a fight with me and me alone. If it will save the world, then I have to do it."

"Bridgette, he'll kill you!" Felix shouted.

Ladybug only smiled sadly in return. "Whatever it takes."

She threw her head back, prepared to go into battle, then paused, turning back to where her partner and lover was chained up. The red superhero ran to him, capturing his lips in a passionate and frenzied kiss. A last kiss, Felix knew, though he tried to banish that thought from his mind as he molded his mouth against hers. Tears ran down both their faces, and Felix could no longer tell her tears from his own.

After what seemed like only a moment, Ladybug pulled back, a sad yet determined smile on her face. "I love you, kitty."

"I-I love you too, my lady." He barely choked the words out.

She nodded, letting another hot tear slip down her face, squared her shoulders, set her jaw, and marched forward towards Hawkmoth's lair. Behind her, Felix screamed, crying and gasping out her name as he sobbed from his position on the floor, struggling and writhing against his bindings.

"And cut!" The director yelled.

Adrien Agreste stood up, the fake chains sliding off him effortlessly. Marinette Dupain-Cheng peeked her head around the corner as the director continued on.

"That's a wrap! Good job, everyone, it looks great. Take the rest of the day off."

Adrien wiped the tears from his face with a cloth that a passing assistant handed to him, trying to catch his breath from the emotional scene he had just filmed.

For the past five years, Adrien had been playing the part of superhero Chat Noir in the adaption of the popular Miraculous Ladybug comics. Five years, and three movies, soon to be four. This last movie was the end of an era, the final showdown between the heroes Ladybug and Chat Noir and the evil supervillain Hawkmoth. Adrien had enjoyed playing Chat Noir, sure. It was amazing seeing how many lives he touched, how many people were affected by his role. Sure, it was overwhelming at times, but what job isn't?

But it wasn't the fans or the photoshoots or the movie premieres that made these past five years so enjoyable.

It was his co-star, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Marinette played the role of the heroine Ladybug, and she personified her perfectly. Onscreen, she might have won Chat Noir's heart with her calculating mind, determined nature, and kick-ass moves, but offscreen, Adrien had fallen in love with Marinette's kindness, her enthusiasm, her passion, her wittiness, her-

"Hello, Earth to Adrien? You've been standing there staring into space for the past five minutes." Said girl laughed, waving a hand in front of her co-stars face.

Adrien blinked, his cheeks coloring. "Ah, sorry. I was just...thinking."

Marinette hummed, her only acknowledgement of his words. If she thought it was weird, she (thankfully) didn't say anything. "Hey, wanna go up to the roof?"

The roof of the soundstage they were on was flat and overlooked the entire city. It could be easily accessed by a back set of stairs, and it had become Marinette and Adrien's ritual to go there and talk after long, tiring days. At first, it was because the director, Jeremy Zag, had suggested the two actors grow closer in real life in order to make their chemistry more believable. And, well, when you're an actor, there aren't many places you can go without being noticed and hounded by fans and paparazzi. But the rooftop? No cameras, no fans, no pressure. It was perfect.

"I'll meet you up there in few minutes."

Fifteen minutes later, Marinette was waiting for him on that flat, white roof that they had spent so many hours in the past five years. Her back was to him, the sun creating a halo around her body that made her look ethereal, like an angel sent down from heaven just for him.

"It's weird, isn't it?" The bluenette said without turning around.

"W-what?"

"That all this," she gestured to all around her. "Is ending soon."

"Oh, you mean the movies." Adrien commented as he sat down beside her, letting his feet dangle off the side.

Marinette nodded, staring off in contemplative thought. "It's just- when I first took this job, I thought it would just be another stupid superhero movie, you know? Something to get me a little more recognition. And Ladybug- she just became a part of me, somewhere along the way."

Adrien glanced at her. "And ending these movies-"

"It just feels like I'm saying good-bye." She finished. "I don't know. I just don't want to let her go." She looked down at her hands.

Adrien took a deep breath, summoned his courage, and placed a hand over her joined ones. "I know what you mean, Marinette."

Said girl grinned at him, a bright, brilliant smile that made Adrien feel like he was seeing stars. "So, Adrien, do you have any plans for when this is all over?"

Adrien sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. "Well, it looks like I'm going to go into modeling, actually."

Marinette crinkled her nose. "A model? Why?"

"No need to sound so enthused." He commented wryly. "And it's because my father wants me to do it. People are so used to seeing me as Chat Noir, but maybe after a few years of everyone seeing me as me, I'll start acting again. He thinks it will be good for me."

"But you don't want to do it?" She guessed.

Adrien paused. His father controlled everything, from his jobs to his activities to his friends. What he ate, what he said, where he went, everything was regulated. "My father thinks it'll be good for me." He repeated. Then he shook his head, trying to forget. "What about you? Anything big coming up?"

"I was thinking I might go into designing." Marinette admitted. "Try and get into fashion school, maybe. I was really into it before all this. I was thinking it might be time for me to get into it again." She glanced up at him, doubt and embarassment marring her face. "Is that stupid?"

"Do you enjoy it? Designing, I mean."

"More than you can even imagine."

"Then of course it's not stupid, Marinette. I think you should go for it."

"Thanks, Adrien." The beautiful actress beamed up at him. "I hope that after this, you find something you love, too."

Said boy's gaze softened as he looked upon his gorgeous, fearless, determined costar of the last five years. "You know what, Marinette? I think I already have."

She met his eyes, blushing bright red. Nevertheless, she smiled, leaning forward and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Adrien felt his cheeks flare and his soul go up to heaven. As quick as she kissed him, she pulled away, standing and offering him a hand. "Come on, kitty." Her tone was slightly teasing and warm with affection.

Adrien took her hand, linking his fingers through his and squeezing tight. "Whatever you say, my lady."

And together, they walked, hand in hand, into the unknown.

A/N: Second chapter! I hope you guys like this one! Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if you have another AU idea! Until next time, stay safe, stay happy, and stay Miraculous!