2 more left
Another somewhat short, because there's not much pov with these two in it, so I'll compensate with the second part.
"Just so you know," Ladybug yawned once the akuma had been purified "when we take down Hawkmoth, I'll cash every hour he made us loose of sleep, I will need an entire weekend at this point."
"I cannot wait for the longest nap of my life" Chat rubbed his eyes "but soon Buginette, real soon."
They had been fighting for so long the sunlight was starting to peek through the grey of the sky, leaving just a couple of hours before the beginning of classes. If they didn't know any better, it was almost as if Hawkmoth was doing this on purpose to mess with their growth.
"I have a bad feeling for today" Ladybug yawned again "is there something important?"
"I'll be honest, I'm too tired to even think" Chat said, "but will be on guard, see you in a few?"
"You bet" Ladybug kissed him on the cheek and made her way back to her room.
Public displays of affection between them with the mask were very, very scarce. Mostly because they didn't want anyone to catch them on photograph and start posting it on the Internet. But they were very tired and Chat Noir just wanted to hit his pillow a few extra minutes he would tell her about it later.
"Just a while" he muttered as he transformed back and slumped on the bed, about to doze off when his alarm started to beep.
"Rise and shine everyone! Today is Heroes' Day, a day when you too can be a hero!"
Adrien groaned and rolled out of bed. He already was a hero, albeit only two people in the world knew about that, he was so not looking forward for the day. He really hoped Marinette wouldn't try to push something out, knowing his girlfriend was just as tired as he was.
He still felt a little like a zombie on his routine to get ready.
"Heroes' Day, we're already heroes!" Plagg complained while Adrien brushed his teeth "come on! Let's go back to bed!"
Adrien almost choked on the toothpaste foam, the stink of cheese too early even for him.
"Do you really have to eat that so early in the morning?" he tried not to gag, thinking again of all the things his kwami needed to get energy, it had to be the smelliest cheese.
He went to grab his bag and head out when he spotted out of the window at his father looking at the memoir of his mom. The bad feeling of before came back full force. Adrien had no doubt on his resolve, that when it came down to it, he'd choose the right thing and bring Hawkmoth to justice, even if the super villain that had been tormenting them for almost three years was none other than his own father.
But a part of him, a small part, felt a pang of pity. He didn't know the details behind his mother's disappearance or possible death, his father never said a thing, and the very few memories he had of them together were so different in showing a man than the one standing there, stoic and devoid of any kindness.
And yet, as Adrien turned around to leave his room, he knew his father was not doing something right, causing a majority of Paris to be afraid to show the tiniest bit of negative emotion.
He had almost made it to the bottom of the stairs only to bump into Nathalie, her pad already in hand as she listed his schedule of the day.
"And remember that you have to make an appearance at the Agreste Foundation Heroes Day gala tonight,"
Right, the gala thing that he so not wanted to do. He would have loved to invite Marinette, gawk in how beautiful she would look wearing a gown designed by her and them just dancing, having fun at the poshness of some people and sneaking out to have a tray full of mini sandwiches for themselves, but of course, that option was not on the table if it meant his father finding out she was his girlfriend, even worse if Lila would be around.
"I'll be here, for sure," Adrien said, keeping his model smile as he walked past her and towards the car. The bad feeling was still in his stomach, and he had the idea it had to do with the fact that it was Heroes' day.
He made sure to buy two lattes (one with a double pump of espresso) before arriving to school, where the moment he spotted Marinette he made a beeline towards her to offer the coffee.
"My hero" Marinette smiled at the cup.
"The coffee or me?" Adrien smiled, so tempted to give her a hug right there.
"The coffee of course," Marinette took a sip "but you know my favorite hero of all times will always be Chat Noir."
That was another thing they had going on that would somewhat annoy some of their classmates. It had become a habit, and if not for the very few that knew they were dating, everyone would think Adrien was madly in love with Ladybug, while Marinette nursed a crush for Chat Noir.
He laughed and walked with her to the classroom. To his lack of surprise, Lila wasn't even there, word saying she had to go to Achu on a sudden trip with his mother.
What he did not expect was for them to have Lila broadcast herself for the class. The background behind her was so obvious it was a photo and not the real thing but she would probably say it was the blurry filter of zoom or something like that. Besides, it was less to deal with today.
Adrien stifled a yawn.
"Well sure! Superheroes like Ladybug might save lives but they couldn't care less about the environment-"
Adrien rolled his eyes.
Wait. Heroes Day, Lila 'not being in Paris' which had to be a lie. Paris right now was going to be covered in Ladybug and Chat Noir decorations. His bad feeling was starting to make more and more sense.
Until he got distracted by the principal ramming into the classroom dressed up as...
Ok, that had to be a little funny.
He couldn't help but feel a little giddy with all the good words about him and Ladybug, even if he couldn't right there admit it was him behind the mask.
"So, what heroic deeds have you all planned?"
The giddiness didn't stop there, with each classmate standing up to say how Ladybug and Chat Noir had inspired them to do good things for people, from visiting elders to helping out improving facilities around.
"Adrien?"
"Today I've planned to give my fencing classmates a lesson in Chinese and my Chinese classmates a lesson in fencing,"
It was small, compared to others, but he didn't count attending the gala as a good deed and this was the closest, he could do with his quite tight schedule.
"Marinette?"
"I uh-"
Adrien turned around. Oh, he knew that face, the 'I need to do more' face.
"I'm actually organizing a schoolwide macaroon tasting!"
Adrien winced.
The moment they were free for lunch, he practically pulled Marinette out of the classroom, insisting on going with her home and try to convince her out of it.
"You know you can say it was a misunderstanding," he said while walking with Marinette to her house "there is no way you can bake all that for tonight."
"I know, I panicked" Marinette frowned "the lack of sleep and Lila being, Lila,"
Adrien rubbed her back.
"Maybe we don't have to make three hundred macaroons," he said "but what about those, uh what are they called? When everyone brings something for a party?"
"A potluck?" Marinette's eyes lit up "yes! That sounds like an excellent idea!"
Adrien smiled, only to be tackled by her the moment they were at her home. He relished in the hug, the sweet scent of vanilla lingering on his nose from Marinette's shampoo. He should mention to her the bad feeling he's been having, but nothing had happened so far and Marinette looked so relieved he didn't want to spoil her moment.
"Does that mean I get to help you with some baking?"
"You say that as if I wasn't going to let you," Marinette pulled away "so long you don't eat the batter."
"I won't make any promises."
Marinette rolled her eyes and giggled, with Adrien following suit. And if it helped sneak out of the gala event a little, hey he would bake five hundred macaroons if needed.
They spent a good lunchtime together, with Adrien trying and failing not to get his hands on the macaroon batter, but unbeknownst to them, there was chaos forming blocks away from where they were.
And they wouldn't get to find out until they came back to school, to see everyone huddled up in their phones.
"What's going on?"
Next thing he knew, Rose was showing them a Livestream of the news where...what?
"Chat Noir defeated. Ladybug in the clutches of the terrible HawkMoth"
"W-what?"
Adrien and Marinette spared a glance at each other as the stream continued, just for them to see red butterflies taking over.
"Ah!" someone screamed and pointed above them, where a swarm of red butterflies appeared over the school.
"Watch out!" Adrien pushed Marinette out of the way of them, covering her with his body. They had to be akumas, as he saw many of his classmates turning them over to their previous akuma forms.
Adrien pulled Marinette up and kept her close, while she tried to calm down their remaining classmates.
"Don't let fear control you, Juleka!"
Fear, that's what the red butterflies look after. He was so glad to see Alya and Nino alright because one look from Marinette convinced him they'd need extra back up. They split up to find a place to transform, but apparently, his bodyguard had also been redkumatized (and he was so keeping that name) that he was captured, again, by a giant gorilla version of him.
"Seriously," he groaned as he tried to squeeze around in the giant fist so they wouldn't see Plagg sneaking out to help him escape "I should know by now to trust my instincts more."
"You bet," Plagg said as soon as Adrien hid in an alley to transform and call Ladybug.
"I have a strong feeling Volpina is behind the illusion," Ladybug said the moment she picked up "how many are there?"
"Way too many to count," Chat hid behind a chimney "are we getting back up?"
"On it, but I have a feeling they are together,"
"Well, so long they don't know about us" Chat said "they're gathering at the Eiffel tower,"
"I'll see you there in a moment," Ladybug hung up, leaving Chat to find a good place to hide and observe the entire situation. So that meant Lila was in town, his gut feeling being right all the praising to the heroes would be more than enough for a powerful akuma.
But how had his father even managed so much power to target a bunch of citizens? It was a very detailed plan, as if…
"He had been planning this for a while," he bit his lip. So today was a now or never moment to take him down once and for all.
It was still a huge relief to see Ladybug arrived with Carapace and Rena Rouge.
"Any idea what is he planning?" Rena turned to them.
"No clue yet," Ladybug frowned as Hawkmoth started to speak.
"Ladybug, Chat Noir, behold my powerful army! And have no doubt that today belongs to Scarletmoth!"
"Did he just..." Chat snorted "didn't he try to convince everyone you dusted me?"
Ladybug had to hold back her smile.
"Well then, if people see that they'll know we are here for real,"
"It's only like ten villains to every one of us, I call dibs on Hawkmoth,"
"I got your back!"
"No, I've got your back," he heard Rena and Carapace going back and forth with each other. He couldn't help but to smile a little at how cute that was, and glad he and Ladybug were not in that level of cheesiness. Speaking of, he turned to her, blue eyes focused on the battlefield ahead of them.
"So, what's the hero's plan my lady?"
Also, can I find incredibly amusing how short those relationships were in s4? I haven't seen the episodes but wow, so sad, (I ship anything in this show I just find it sad how they couldn't really work out good stuff but welp)
I'll try to not leave you for months again (especially because there are two chapters left) but I'm going back to classes tomorrow so...you'll probably see the new chapter until the weekend.
Besides, my other project is a story away from done and I have to hit the gas with that one.
Thanks for reading!