(A/N My take on an 'Uncle Jagged' relationship.

I own nothing.

Enjoy!)

It started with a pair of sunglasses. Well, two actually. She screwed up the first pair, but Jagged loved the second. She saw him again when he was "endorsing" Chloe for student president, but he didn't recognize her. She wasn't surprised. She was just the "go-for" when they'd met last. Plus, there was an akuma attack going on. She just counted herself lucky for having actually met the Jagged Stone.

It would be an understatement to say she was surprised when Bob Roth showed up at her parents' bakery. Apparently Jagged did remember her. He'd even gone through the trouble of tracking down her address in order to request her to do his new album cover. She was overwhelmed at first, especially when he was akumatized, but she loved completing the commission and even had her signature on the art. Her name was on a Jagged Stone album!

.

After that she regularly got emails from Penny, and sometimes Jagged would video chat her out of the blue asking for her insight on adjustments to his wardrobe. He even made sure to order "Fang's" macaroons from her parents' bakery. It felt amazing to talk design with one of her idols! He'd even assured her that he'd offer any letter of recommendation to any school or job she'd apply to.

"You just let Uncle Jagged know, Marinette! You'll have the most rock'n'roll recommendation letters in history! You're bound to get in anywhere you could apply, but they'll never refuse after reading my 'Marinette Masterpiece!'"

"Uh, well, I…"

"Don't worry, Marinette. I take care of his correspondence, so I'll send a professionally written letter alongside his." Penny winked at her.

"Thanks!" she chirped with a blush and a bright smile.

"Hey! I think I know how to adequately praise my favorite up and coming designer!" The girls laughed at his outburst and insulted expression.

.

She should have known Lila was lying the moment she mentioned Jagged Stone. Between her own relationship with him and Penny and the public knowledge of his allergy to pet dander it shouldn't have taken the Ladybug lie for her to figure her out. She was tempted to call Penny to prove her point, but Adrien was right-she needed to take the high road. Though Jagged and Penny often noticed she was feeling down if she spoke to them after a recent confrontation with Lila.

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Jagged's reaction to her being Nightingale's Ladybug was hysterical. He was ranting to Penny about bringing down the stage she stood on for trying to "Steal my fresh designer! Honestly! Who does she think she is?" Marinette laughed at his good-natured possessiveness and was shocked when a week later she received a commission from Clara after Jagged had raved about her work with him.

"Marinette, my Ladybug you'll always be! Could you do a design for me?"

"Umm. Sure?"

"Amazing! Fantastic! This is such fun! I can't wait to see the project when it is done!"

"Uh, I'm glad you're excited for it," Marinette giggled. "What kind of piece do you need?"

"A video's backdrop for my new song. Another tried, but got it all wrong."

"I'll see what I can do. Just let me get the song from you," she said with a big grin. Clara lit up at Marinette's rhyme.

With two big time clients her parent's helped her set up a website to showcase her work, as well as reorganize her commission log so that she could keep track of finances better. It wasn't necessarily a business, but it was experience and she wanted it to be as professional as possible.

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When Penny called in and explained Roth's latest idea, and Jagged's concession, Sabine and Tom were delighted, though Sabine had reservations about Tom's camera skills. It was a bit odd to have so many cameras in their shop, but Tom was no stranger to explaining his craft as he worked. Marinette felt bad about directing her outburst at Penny. But Jagged needed to be corrected. The next time they video chatted she was appreciative of his apology.

"So, about that boy-"

"Jagged! I am a designer! I didn't even know Adrien's name until he started school with me! And you shouldn't have been in my room to begin with!"

"Well, I-"

"And if I did like him it is totally uncool, un-rock'n'roll, to advertise that fact to all of Paris!"

"I know! I know, Marinette. And I'm sorry."

.

Jagged made sure to compliment her on her piece in the Gabriel Fashion Show. Before the fashion show he said he was disappointed he wasn't sitting with Marinette's family.

"It's so un-rock'n'roll that I can't sit with my favorite niece!"

"Jagged! I'm not actually your niece."

"Minor details."

"Besides, I like not having all my classmates flood me to see you. It was hard enough when Adrien asked for an album autograph! I didn't want to set a precedence."

"I don't remember signing any autographs for your friend."

"Oh!" She decided to ignore how he said 'friend.' "I misunderstood when he asked. He actually wanted my signature as the designer." Jagged got an odd look on his face. Not jealous, almost smug.

.

Jagged continued singing her praises at the premiere of the Ladybug and Chat Noir movie. It was only after the fact that she learned he'd recommended her to Astruc's team.

"She's a totally rad artist! And works in just about any medium!"

"I'll have to look into her work." Penny had the interaction recorded. She was on the phone with Roth and recorded all their interactions after the XY incident; Jagged's conversation was in the background.

"Yes! I'm sure she could help with future concept designs if you continue the animated route. Or costume and wardrobe if you decide to go live action!"

"Well, your confidence is reassuring."

"Haha! If you ask Clara, Clara Nightingale, she'd tell you to cast our girl as Ladybug. Clara called her out for her kindhearted soul, but once she put on that costume she fit the role like a glove!"

"I'm not sure if we're interested in liveaction content for the franchise, but I'll keep her in mind if we do need to do some casting."

"Right on!"

.

Marinette soon discovered why Penny recorded all her interactions with Bob Roth. His son, XY, proved how deceitful they were when Kitty Section tried out for his video contest.

"I can't believe he tried to rip off Kitty Section!" Marinette practically screamed into her phone. "I mean really! He copied both their music and my designs!"

"Totally un-rock'n'roll!"

"It wasn't even subtle!"

"He's a real poser, that perfume ad wannabe!"

"Kitty Section has even performed before, even if it's been really small scale, so someone was bound to notice!"

"Bob Roth needs run out of the industry! I can't stand the guy under good circumstances, but he keeps pulling these stunts! I might just call up Clara and some of his other clients in my contacts and drop him like a hot potato!"

"I'm not usually one for revenge, but I really don't want him stealing from anyone else."

"Good thing Ladybug outed him. Gives anything I say or suggest against him more credibility."

"Well, actually Chat Noir was the one who aired his unintentional confession."

"Either way, his public image is in tatters at this point."

.

She wasn't truly surprised to see Jagged at the party the boys threw at Adrien's house. But when she heard how he arrived she was incredulous.

"Did you seriously jump out of a helicopter and through a window?"

"Well, you disguised yourself as a man!" Penny pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head at their antics.

.

Really, by now Jagged should know when her decision making skills are impaired. She's gets way too flustered around a certain boy and he knew that! Adrien was not the ideal guitarist, and in hindsight that was really obvious…

"Look, Marinette, there was no harm done. Vivica returned and you pointed out Luka's mad talent in the end."

"But he should be so mad at me! I was totally unfair!"

"But you-"

"And Adrien was so put on the spot! And-"

"Marinette, chill."

"But-"

"No. It's okay. You've said Luka already knows, so he'll understand. And Adrien was rolling with the punches. So, seriously, everything is fine." She pouted but nodded her head. "I know! You should invite your peeps to my next concert! I'll get you backstage passes! Just tell me how many."

"What happened to not telling everyone I know you?"

"We'll say you won them...from a...I don't know, some contest."

"Alright. Well, how about Luka, Juleka, and Adrien."

"Just the three others?"

"Well...I don't want to be greedy."

"I have an idea!" Penny spoke up. "We could have Kitty section open for you. That's four of your friends right there."

"Five actually, depending on what they play. Adrien plays the ZX20.4 with them, too."

"So just Alya and her guy?"

"Yeah!" said delightedly.

.

They continued. Jagged supplied a steady stream of clients for her as he spread word about her creations. She went to him for advice and to complain about some school things. She was always careful to avoid mentioning Lila, at least by name. She had no idea what his version of "rock'n'roll justice" would be.

And to think, it all began with a pair of sunglasses.