Author's Note:
First time dipping into the Miraculous fandom...mostly because, this idea hit me upside the head and wouldn't stop.
Basically...what follows is self-indulgent AF including but not limited to: OOCness (because why not?), identities get revealed, Adrien is a badass in his own right and has a brain (because, honey, you're cute and all, but you're giving blondes everywhere a bad name when you keep putting two and two together and coming up with fish), Lila gets exposed and ripped a couple new ones (I may have been inspired by an old CSI Miami episode), and Marinette finally gets a long-deserved freaking break. Oh, and...a power couple is born!
And Gabriel Agreste/Hawk Moth and Nathalie may, or may not, be scared crapless in their own ways...and Gabriel might actually be impressed/proud. You decide.
Now, enough of my ramble, on to the fic!


This...was not supposed to happen.

Adrien gritted his teeth in barely suppressed fury as Lila wept her crocodile tears in front of his father and Nathalie, the brunette doing her very, very best, to pin the blame for the damage to a dress, that was supposed to be used in the photoshoot of the day, on Marinette...who looked ready to just give up and break down from the stress of dealing with the psychopath that had been tormenting the bluenette ever since the Italian had transferred in.

This was supposed to be a fun day for Marinette and himself. It was supposed to be just a relaxing day on a photoshoot, nothing extreme like a few past 'artsy' shoots that he'd had to partake in...just a chance for the blond to get to finally have a friendly face on set to talk to between photos and where he could let Marinette have a good day after all of the, his mother forgive him for his incoming language, absolute hellstorm of crap that the lying Italian tramp had been heaping onto his friend by the truckload since practically day damned one for absolutely no reason that made sense outside of, probably, the Joker's mental madhouse.

In other thoughts, he decided that he needed to have a chat with Alya and Nino specifically for their abandonment of Marinette...and if those two didn't have a good excuse, he might just be tempted to go "claws out" on both of them. Tempted? Yes. Actually do it? He was still deciding that...'no, Plagg. You don't have a say in this.'

But supposed to's were neither here nor there. What mattered was that Lila...and why in the actual h-e-double-hockey-sticks had his father told the girl to show up here AFTER Adrien was pretty sure that he had stated at least once that he refused to work with the girl...he paused. No, that explained it. He probably did make those statements and his father (world's okayest sperm donor) had most likely decided to ignore everything coming out of Adrien's mouth in favor of just nodding and agreeing blindly in hopes that Adrien would eventually be satisfied and leave.
It wouldn't be the first time.

Where was he? Oh yeah. Lila was framing Marinette...and his father was going along with it?! Was this actual real life right now? His father, who was supposed to be some kind of creative genius in fashion and a top businessman, was actually believing every ounce of nonsensical crap coming out of Lila's mouth? Was this for real?
And...Marinette was...was his friend...was Marinette crying?!
Oh...HELL NO.

"ENOUGH." Adrien snapped as he stepped into the center of the fray to pull the bluenette into his arms, resting a hand firmly to her upper back in comfort. When Marinette didn't resist, Adrien swore he saw red...before shifting as if to keep his body between the liar, his apparently dumb-as-a-rock father, his father's pet sycophant who couldn't keep a story straight to save her life apparently, and the amazing girl who was much more than just a friend to him despite his many, many arguments (mostly with Plagg) to the contrary. "Shut your lying mouth, Lila. I am sick of you trying to frame Marinette as a criminal-"

"Adrien! I d-don't know what y-you're-" The girl started only for the blond model to cut her off. "I told you to shut your mouth."

Gabriel frowned, looking pointedly at his son. "Adrien-"

"You shut up too, father." Adrien all-but snarled, ignoring the tomblike silence that had swallowed the room the second that Adrien had raised his voice. You could hear a pin drop as most seemed to try to process on whether or not their ears were functioning correctly: had Adrien, sweet and nice Adrien, just told that obnoxious sausage-haired girl AND Gabriel Agreste to shut up?
And over his 'she's just a friend' girlfriend?

Adrien glared between the three in front of him before settling firmly on his father first. "What is actually wrong with you? If Nathalie won't vouch, and really, why would she? She doesn't care about anyone but you, right?, so...let's ask everyone on set? Marinette never left my sight so no, father, if you actually think about something other than yourself for once, for just five seconds, really...it's not so hard!, maybe you'll realize that you're preparing to yell at an innocent girl and that the person you should be going after for damaging that dress is your precious 'muse'."

Gabriel's jaw dropped as his son snapped at him. Cautiously he glanced at Nathalie to see her staring wide-eyed at this development. Gabriel slowly glanced around the room, not exactly sure on whether or not a stray akuma butterfly had gotten in. Was that even possible? He was sure that he hadn't released one yet today.
He was planning to release one and akumatize Marinette...but he hadn't even had the chance to do so yet, and he would never risk his own son like that, so where was all of this rage coming from in his son?!

Adrien shifted his glare off of his father (understandably ignorant of the closet terrorist's thought processes at the moment) to focus back on the threat to the girl in his arms. "And you. I don't know what your problem is with Marinette, and I don't care because your reasons, if they can be called that, are probably worth less than month-old garbage, but you need to get the hell out of my sight! You're fired! Get out of here before I have security throw you out, diplomatic immunity or not!"

"You-you can't fire me!" Lila cried, eyes wide in shocked anger only for Adrien to practically hiss at her. "Oh, believe me, I can Lie-la. Want to know why? I'll tell you why...because, before my mom disappeared, she owned forty-five percent of all of the stock in this company. She was part-owner. She left behind a will, one that I took to a lawyer that I paid for out of my own pocket, thank you very much, to confirm that it was nice and legal...and that will states that, in the event that anything happens to her, death or disappearance strangely enough, that her forty-five percent share of stocks are transferred to ME. Making me part owner."

"That-!"

"-And on my last birthday, do you know what dad gave me? Six percent of his stocks in the company. His six percent added to the forty-five percent that my mom left to me equals...what." Adrien said, eyes narrowed in a scowl as Lila stumbled and stuttered and generally failed to grasp what he was saying...though the wide-eyed look on his father's face confirmed that the elder Agreste had just realized what exactly it was that he had unintentionally done. Adrien couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips (one that Chloe had told him made him look 'delightfully wicked'). "Fifty. One. I own fifty-one percent of all stocks in this company which, as of my last birthday, makes me your actual boss, Lila."

A small part of the younger Agreste hoped that someone had gotten a picture of just how pale Lila had gone at his words...and the look of stunned horror that had manifested on his father's face. "And I warned you once to leave Marinette alone. I warned you to leave MY lady alone."

Marinette peered up from her position at the model's chest, her voice letting out a a barely heard, but oh so fond, whisper of "silly kitty" before she relaxed into his hold and just let herself be rescued and protected by her own personal knight in a gorgeous silver-grey suit, black button down, and polished black loafers.
The suit was, after all, lightyears more comfortable to lean into than any 'shining armor' would have been.

Adrien focused on Lila, if only to avoid losing steam in his ranting due to blushing at Marinette cuddling against his chest? He was partly sure that this counted as cuddling...'focus Adrien! Take down the psychopath now, melt into a puddle of sappy goo later'. "I warned you, Lila Rossi. You have lied too many times to count, cheated, manipulated everyone around you, isolated and bullied my lady and who knows how many other people...you tried to sabotage Marinette's parents' business! For what? Your bloated ego? A need for attention? News flash: nothing is worth you tormenting and driving someone to the point that they could be turned into an akuma. But you know all about that, don't you? After all...you grabbed one of Hawk Moth's butterflies and willingly worked with a terrorist! I'm pretty sure that just sent you diplomatic immunity out the window."

Lila stumbled back, hearing everyone around them beginning to mutter uncomfortably about if 'Miss Rossi' was really some kind of spy sent from Italy to aid Hawk Moth in destabilizing the city of Paris. The girl quickly raised her hands in an attempt to ward off the verbal beatdown that she was currently receiving. "It wasn't like that-"

"Oh, save it. If willingly working with a terrorist didn't obliterate your immunity, then at the very least, faking a disability for preferential treatment has to have done it. In fact...Nathalie!" Adrien snapped, not even looking at the woman in question...who immediately stood straighter and barely squeaked out a 'yes' before coughing and speaking clearly. "Yes, Mr. Agreste?"
If Gabriel Agreste looked physically pained at hearing his assistant call his son 'mister', well...no one was going to say a thing if they valued their continued career paths. (The one guy in the back who muttered 'oof' didn't even like his job to begin with.)

"Call the Embassy. I demand to speak to Secretary Rossi or it's your job. You have thirty seconds."

Nathalie blinked in shock at the threat tacked onto the order...only to whip out her cellphone and start dialing immediately when Adrien. Started. Counting. DOWN.

Before Adrien reached one, and Nathalie could honestly say that she was uncertain if she wanted to know what exactly would happen if the blond had reached one...especially since she couldn't be sure on whether or not the young man in front of her hadn't been akumatized somehow but was just able to maintain a 'normal' form...and she was not in a hurry to have an answer to that. "Secretary Rossi, sir."

Adrien extended one hand, taking the phone and brushed his thumb over the speaker button. "Hello. Secretary Rossi? I understand that you are a very busy woman, and I do apologize for distracting you, but I'm Adrien Agreste."

"Oh, Adrien. Lila's boyfriend-?"

"Ma'am...I am not your daughter's boyfriend...unless 'boyfriend' has recently become synonymous with 'guy to be sexually harassed daily at best and outright molested at worst'." The blond deadpanned, maintaining his one-armed hold on his lady as he continued to talk. "Your daughter is being fired from my company right now because she had the gall to attempt to frame my girlfriend-"

Marinette jerked her head up, not even noticing that Gabriel Agreste's jaw was steadily dropping closer to his highly expensive and custom-made shoes at the same time as his eyebrows were flirting with his hairline, before smiling softly and resting her forehead back against her silly kitty's chest as she slid her arms forward to wrap around the blond.

"-for damaging a dress that was to be used in a photoshoot today. Furthermore, I am afraid that I need to inform you of your daughter's behavior at our school which includes everything from framing students for theft and assault, up to faking a hearing disability for preferential treatment, and more. Now-" And with that, Adrien proceeded to inform the increasingly shocked and horrified woman on the line of every dirty, filthy detail of exactly what had been happening ever since her daughter had started at their school...to the growing terror and protesting babble, i.e. lying attempts, of the Italian girl practically falling to her knees not far from him.

Gabriel shook himself, trying to process exactly what was happening. When had his sweet, naïve little boy become...him? Become ruthless and cutthroat and...what exactly was going on?! Was this some kind of late mental maturity or...he didn't know. His son had not only, somehow, outwitted him into giving away his life's work with this company...but was in the process of legally obliterating the best pawn on the board that Hawk Moth had ever had.
He wasn't sure if he should be terrified or proud right now.

"-And let's not forget her willingly working with a known terrorist to wreck havoc and destruction in Paris, shall we?" Adrien finished...before the wicked smirk returned to his lips. "So, what I am asking of you, Secretary Rossi...is for you to personally revoke your daughter's diplomatic immunity so that I can have the police do their jobs and deal with her...unless, of course, you would prefer that I take this entire issue further up the chain of command within the Embassy? I think that you and I both know, sadly, how that will turn out."

There was silence over the line...before..."I...Niccolo, make a note, I revoke my daughter, Lila Rossi's, diplomatic immunity, effective...immediately."

"Mamma!" Lila cried out in terror only for Adrien to nod. "Thank you very much, Secretary Rossi. I will have my assistant forward you the information on which police station your daughter will be relocated to so that you can deal with her after they are through with processing the charges that I will personally be demanding to be filed against her on top of what I imagine the city of Paris will wish to file as well."

Adrien glared at Nathalie...who took the cue and called for security to detain Lila until the police arrived...then pulled out her second phone and contacted the police herself to come and collect the girl...who had started protesting that she still had immunity. Adrien merely hung up the phone. "Now. Nathalie. Marinette and I are going to go relax until the police get here. When they arrive, you WILL come and get us both so that we can give our statements. If I do not see the police, I assure you that you will not only be out of a job, but I will personally ensure that you will be out a career path. Am I clear?"

Nathalie, for the first time in her life, nodded dumbly in response. "Choke me-I mean, yes...sir. I will bring the police to you immediately to collect yours and Miss Dupain-Cheng's statements."
Gabriel stared at his...former assistant because had he heard that whispered first part correctly?!

"Good." Adrien nodded and turned his gaze down at the girl in his arms, the wicked smirk falling away into a gentle, oh so familiar smile, as he rubbed her back. "Let's go and get you cleaned up, okay princess?"

Marinette nodded and leaned most of her weight against the blond as he guided her away from the liar, and his father, and off to an empty conference room that had been set up into a lounge area for the photo shoot for the day. "You didn't have to do all of that."

"Maybe." Adrien said as he helped Marinette take a seat on a plush, ivory-colored sofa before he collected a few napkins from the table and passed them to her so that the bluenette could dry her eyes. "But I needed to. I should have stood up to her for you so much sooner. I should have stopped her long before this ever got this far, my lady."

Adrien dropped to his knees, with no care for the suit that he was wearing, at his lady's feet, reaching out and gently taking one of her hands in his. "I promised you that I would always protect you...and I failed you when you needed me to be on guard for you the most."

"Silly kitty." Marinette whispered as she wiped her eyes with the napkin. "You didn't fail me. You never believed her. You tried to stick by me when no one else did. Even now...you pretty much just destroyed my enemy for me."

Slowly she set the napkin aside before moving her hand to cup the blond's cheek. "Thank you for rescuing me."

The blond smiled and shifted his head to place a gentle kiss to the center of the bluenette's palm before he looked back up at her. "So...I know I jumped the gun a little bit but...will you be my girlfriend, bugaboo?"

"I don't know...I mean, you're incredible, Adrien...and you did all of that for me...but I also really like Chat Noir too." Marinette said with a small, playful smile that, to be honest, Adrien had been missing desperately for so long. The blond grinned up at her. "Well...isn't that a coincidence? I think he's as into you as I am, my lady."

Marinette giggled a bit at that. Her laugh was somewhat watery, and very much not the bubbly sound that Adrien loved more than he could say...but it was a start. "We...might just be the school's new power couple after this."

"If my purrencess is willing to be my queen, then this humble cat would be happy to be her king."

"Yes." Marinette whispered before leaning down, encouraging the blond to rise to meet her, as she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "What about school?"

"I'll bring in lawyers. Our principal should have actually investigated things instead of just obeying a bunch of lies. Not to mention that the teachers probably never bothered to ask for any kind of medical notes to back up Lila's claims of a disability." Adrien said in a firm tone that seemed so foreign when he wasn't wearing his 'catsuit', but had an appeal all of it's own. "If our so-called friends want to argue then, you know what, who needs them? We have each together, and Chloe's been on your side in her own way, and we can make new friends. You and me, my lady. We can make everything better together."

"Together." Marinette said with a smile before she tugged Adrien's hands to encourage him to sit with her.

"FINALLY." Came Plagg's exasperated tone...followed by a yelp as Tikki chucked a cube of cheese at the god of destruction. "Did you have to interrupt? They were about to kiss."

"They did that already." Plagg grumbled as he rubbed at his head where the cheese had hit. The red kwami merely ignored him in favor of smiling and waving an arm in the two teens' direction. "Please don't mind us."

Marinette giggled once more as she curled up against Adrien's side, relaxing as the blond wrapped an arm around her protectively. This? This was right. This was what she wanted more than anything an akuma could give her. The boy of her dreams at her side swearing to love and protect her as she would him...and her kwami staring nonplussed at the black kwami who was arguing that they'd already seen a kiss and why did it matter that he'd interrupted a second one.

Adrien let out a small chuckle at the sight before he reached over and gently brushed a few strands of Marinette's hair back behind her ear. "So...since you've met my father, and seen what he's actually like...I'm thinking that we should stick to your parents, maybe? Because they are logic and my father is...my father."

"I think they'll really like getting to meet you as my boyfriend...and I'm sure that my dad owes my mom some money now, actually."


As previously stated...OOC and self-indulgent AF because why the f not? It's fanfic, not writing an episode of the show.
Lemme know your thoughts and opinions.
Heck, if I feel like it, I might add another chapter to this just for funzies featuring the school getting taken down a few pegs for everyone being morons.

Also, yes...I was listening to the King and Queen of Mean mash-up/duet song, why do you ask?