"See? Chloé's on her best behavior, tonight."
"I figured she'd try, given she wants to prove to you she can be nice." Ella muttered, her eyes closed, her head rested on his shoulder and her forehead pressed against his skin. Adrien couldn't help the flush of his cheeks at the warmth of her skin on his, but he smiled in the end and rested his own head atop hers and swayed the pair gently to the music. He didn't care about sets of eyes on the two of them, choosing to just hold his girlfriend close as long as she'd let him.

"Move, Jean-Jacques!" Chloé's high-pitched voice pulled the pair- and the rest of the dancing students- out of their reverie to the blonde girl trying to hide a yellow teddy bear her butler was... talking to her with?
"Oh, please Chloé, dear. You've been such a good little girl. Mr. Cuddly is so very proud..." Chloé glanced around, her eyes finding Adrien's, as Kim opened up his mouth.
"Is that your teddy bear, Chloé?" He laughed, drawing others students to join him. Adrien frowned, and he felt Ella shifting in his arms. The two of them watched Chloé drag her butler to the kitchen, and then after a minute, the teen reappeared, looking embarrassed and upset.
"Should we see if she wants to talk..?" Ella spoke, lifting her head from Adrien's shoulder. The blond shook his head and kept his arms around his girlfriend.
"Let her cool down for a little bit. I know Chloé- she needs to be alone for a few minutes." He spoke, knowing from experience it was best to let the girl calm down. And Adrien didn't want Chloé snapping at Ella for trying to be nice.
Luckily, the noirette nodded and laid her head back down as the slow music continued.

The sweet moment between the pair was cut short by Chloé's shouts and said girl sprinting towards Adrien and Ella minutes later. Adrien maneuvered them out of the way, positioning himself between Ella and whatever was going on, as the two watched Chloé hide behind Kim. Said teen glanced over his shoulder at the blonde girl before turning back to Sabrina.
"If you touch one hair on Chloé's head, you'll have to answer to me."

Adrien was shocked to see a little black teddy bear detach itself from Sabrina and latch onto Kim's leg, making him stand stock straight and his eyes flash vivid green.
"Elle- go hide. Now." Adrien whisper-demanded to the noirette, who nodded and ran off. Adrien was quick to vanish himself, not noticing Marinette do the same.
"Dancin' with your girl like that- you'd think you two were out in public already~" Plagg teased, exiting Adrien's jacket the moment the teen was alone. Adrien glared at the cat kwami, as it ignored the situation and continued munching on camembert.
"Don't give me that look- I told you to just tell her you wanna be out and then you won't have a problem!"
"Well there is still a problem, Plagg, but I'm not ready to deal with that yet."
"Riiiiiight, your super girlfriend. Doubt she'll enjoy hearing she's playing second fiddle to black-bird out there."
"She's not playing- wait what did you call Ella?"
Plagg gulped, almost choking on the cheese he swallowed in panic. Crap- he really had to learn how to hold his tongue! The kwami coughed and wheezed, ignoring his holder's intense gaze before finally regaining his voice.
"C-come on kid- we still got a akuma to deal with! Don't wanna leave your girl unprotected!"
Adrien stayed silent for a moment, the wheels slowly beginning to turn. But the situation at hand pulled forward and he knew it was time to transform.
"You're not getting out of this. Plagg, claws out!"

Ella slipped down the hall till she found a supply closet. Locking the door behind her, she sighed as her kwami flew from her skirt pocket home.
"You two are so stupidly cute and I don't know how much longer I can keep my squeals to myself!"
"Well unless you find another kwami to keep you company, your squeals are only gonna be heard by me. Kiismet, touch the sky!"

Ladybug was on scene first, using her yo-yo to pull Chloé from up in the air, down into a ball pit. Said blonde popped back up, spitting a ball from her mouth.
"About time! What took you so long?" Ladybug rolled her eyes at the girl before turning her attention back to the possessed Kim. The teen chased after Chloé but jumping into action, Cat Noir used his staff to trip the teen and cause him to fall into the ball pit beside the blonde girl... flinging the akumatized teddy bear into the wall with a splat.
"That's a very slippery dance floor!" The feline hero smirked, twirling his staff about before tapping an end against the tile floor. Ignoring the pun, Ladybug whipped her yo-yo at the bear, but the toy dodged and ran up the wall before jumping over the ball-pit and ran towards the door. Students screamed and began to scatter as the bear ran at them.
"Move aside. All of you!"
As the pair scanned the floor for the bear, the door to the stairwell opened and Raven slipped in, her eyes on the floor.
"Purrfect to see you again, angel~" Cat Noir purred, smiling at the feathered teen.
"Kitty cat~ ... Ladybug."

Cat's brow furrowed as his gaze shifted between his love and their leader, confused at Raven's icy tone and Ladybug's flinch. But before he could even begin to question the hostile air, movement in the corner of his eye made him remember the situation at hand.
"Look out!" He shouted, pulling Ladybug to the floor as a chair crashed to the ground behind them. A mind-controlled Max stood atop the bar, a chair raised above his head. Raven jumped forward, grappler up in defense before her partners. Cat and Ladybug let their gazes settle on the new wings of Raven's back as she blocked another chair thrown their way.
"How about a little game of flying chairs?"

Ladybug whipped her yo-yo around Max's leg, but Despair Bear leapt away. The villain then latched onto Alya, but Ladybug maneuvered out of the way and the teddy bear had to dodge Raven's grappler soaring at its head.
"This bear's really getting on my nerves..." Raven growled, retracting the rope as the villain ran under one of the tables... taking control of Ivan on his way. Said teen grabbed the coffee table before him but Cat Noir slashed the table in half before Ivan could throw it.
"Huh, Cat Noir?" Ivan rubbed his head from his collapsed form on the couch, staring up at the hero.
"Where'd he go?" Cat Noir questioned, moving back towards Raven. Ladybug's eyes hung on the pair for just a moment before her own blue gaze traveled around the room for the little black bear. But as she scanned the students around her for the villain, a collective gasp rang out and drew Ladybug's gaze behind her.

"Oh no!"
Cat Noir was under Despair Bear's control and he had one of Raven's arms pinned behind her back while his other was wrapped around her neck. Said heroine was struggling against the grip, her eyes wide and slightly panicked but her face was set in a grim frown.
"Cat Noir! Let Raven go!"
At Ladybug's words, Raven managed to worm her free hand under Cat Noir's clamped around her neck and twist the appendage away, luckily managing to keep her Miraculous around her neck. Spinning on her heel, she twisted her arm and spun Cat Noir around so he was in front of her.
"Ladybug! The bear!" Raven shouted. Ladybug nodded and grabbed her yo-yo, but Cat Noir wrenched his right hand free.
"Cataclysm!" Cat Noir swung his hand up, reaching for Raven's neck...
"Paws off, kitty! The belt!" Chloé suddenly shouted, her shrill voice ringing through the air. Ladybug reached forward and yanked at Cat Noir's belt, flipping him up and back towards one of the couches. Raven panted as the blond hero's special power disintegrated the furniture, rather than her throat.
"...Thank you." Raven spoke, her eyes just barely meeting Ladybug's.
"You're welcome... and thank you, Chloé."
"Hey, I was really nice, just then. Did you see?" The blonde girl turned to her classmates, while Ladybug and Raven just sighed.
"Lucky Charm! A fork?" Ladybug stared at the spotted item, trying to figure out even the slightest way to use it. But her planning was cut short as Cat Noir got back up, forcing the girls to run up to the roof.
"Those two are crazy, they're never going to make it without me." Chloé huffed, running after them.

Cat Noir burst through the door of the hotel roof, his green eyes scanning for the girls. Above the door, out of sight, Raven and Ladybug perched. Looking around for clues, Ladybug figured out a plan to defeat Despair Bear.
"Raven, I need you to distract Cat Noir while I get my yo-yo around the bear."
"Okay." Raven nodded once, jumping down and catching Cat Noir's attention. The feline hero extended his staff and swung it at his partner, who parried with her grappler.
"Hey, stop!" Chloé shrieked from the door, but shut up and slinked away when Cat Noir's staff pegged the wall beside her head and rebounded back to him.
While Raven had Cat Noir's attention, Ladybug attached her yo-yo onto Despair Bear's head, wrapped the string around the fork and threw it towards the umbrella at a nearby table.
"Chloé, would you be so kind?" Ladybug shouted over to the blonde hiding under the umbrella, as she dove into help Raven.
"Okay, Ladybug!" The blonde saluted her idol and spun the umbrella as the yo-yo string attached to the bear became detached from Cat Noir's leg. Cat Noir blinked, the force he was exuding on his staff against Raven's grappler lessening as the possession left him.
"Mon merle? What are you doing?
"Oh, nothing. Just saving your butt." Raven smirked, flicking his nose and making him grab at her hand.
"With the help of our new little sidekick." Ladybug added, pointing her thumb over at Chloé.
"Give me your Miraculous. You haven't defeated me, yet!" A squeaky voice carried up to the trio, making the girls look down.
"Watch your step, chaton." Raven chuckled, pointing down. Cat followed her gaze to the miniaturized butler kicking his boot, bending down and picking the man up by his collar.
"I've got this guy under control." Cat smirked. Ladybug smiled minutely at the pair before detaching the yo-yo string from the bear's head and watching the akuma fly out.
"No more evildoing for you, little akuma. Time to de-evilize! Gotcha! Bye bye, little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug threw the fork into the air, returning everything back to normal and Despair Bear back into Chloé's butler. Satisfied with the work done, Ladybug turned to Chloé and gave the girl a smile.
"Thanks for helping me and Raven out there. That was really nice of you."
"I know, wasn't it?"
Raven groaned at the words, rolling her eyes as the butler stood and exclaimed that he couldn't remember what he did.

"Well, basically, you turned evil and I saved you. In fact, without me, Ladybug, Raven and Cat Noir would never have succeeded. I'm even better than you superheroes. I don't even need a costume."
"Not very humble, is she..." Raven muttered, sticking her tongue out as Cat Noir gently elbowed her. Beeping alerted the heroes to their waning time and turned to one another.
"Gotta get going!" Cat Noir smiled, giving Raven's cheek a kiss before pouncing away.
"Yeah, me too!" Ladybug called, turning on her heel as to not be left alone with a still-upset Raven.

Said girl frowned as the team leader fled the scene, and with a sigh, headed into the stairwell. She went down a few floors before taking a seat against the railing.
"Touch the ground..."
In a flash, Ella returned, catching Kiismet in her cupped hands.
"Well that was fun." The kwami commented, taking the offered walnut.
"If you mean by totally awkward and painful, then sure." Ella sighed, resting her head against the railing's cool metal.
"It's gonna be strange between you two until you talk it out. Remember- take her words into consideration and then make your decision."
With a nod, Ella stood and made her way back to the ballroom the party was in.

An hour and a half later, all the students at the party had baked macaroons- Chloé had called Marinette's father and "invited" him to continue the baking class from this morning.
"Great job, kids. You've done some really good work." Tom congratulated everyone while the students cheered.
"That was a great idea of inviting Marinette's dad!" Adrien complimented Chloé as he, Ella and the blonde stood off to the side watching students set their macaroons on the far table to be tasted.
"I know. This way, no one can be mad at me for calling the fire department. I'm really nice now, did you notice, Adri-kins? Even Ladybug said so! Didn't she, Jean-Pascal?"
Ella rolled her eyes discreetly as Adrien turned to Chloé and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm proud of you, Chloé. I think you've proven that you're capable of making an effort to be nicer to everyone."
"Aww, Adri-kins! So we'll always be best friends, forever? Pinky swear?"
"Pinky swear." Adrien locked pinkies with his childhood friend before turning back to Ella and her small plate of purple and grey macaroons. He and his girlfriend watched Chloé exhale and saunter off towards their classmates. Standing at the end of the table by Kim, the old Chloé came back.
"So, those macarons are dreadfully ugly. Those are so greasy, you can see yourself in them. Urgh. Too disgusting for comment. Those look horrible."
Adrien sighed, moving his gaze to Ella.
"She'll never change."
"But at least she tried." Ella smiled gently, shifting her weight. Adrien mimicked her smile and leaned close.
"May I?" He asked, motioning to her cookies.
"Sure~ They're Earl Grey." Ella held out the plate, letting him take one of the baked treats. As he took a bite, his eyes stayed on the noirette as she picked up one herself and took a small bite.
"Wow, this is really good. Your baking is good as your dancing."
"Flattery gets you nowhere, Mr. Model... but thank you." Ella blushed and smiled, moving her gaze to the floor. Adrien grinned wide and snatched another cookie, as his phone went off with a text message from Nathalie.
"It's time to go, Ella. Nathalie's waiting downstairs."
Giving a small nod, the pair said goodbye to their classmates- Alya reminding them about the party tomorrow- and they headed out into the hall for the elevator.
"You sure you're good to take the elevator?" Adrien asked, watching Ella press the lobby button.
"Yeah. I'm doing better with enclosed spaces, and you're here so that's a comfort."
The moment the doors shut, Adrien grasped Ella's hand and pulled her close.
"You're really amazing, you know that?" He whispered, nuzzling his nose in her hair. He felt Ella shift underneath him and rest her head on his shoulder.
"You're just as amazing for putting up with me."

"You excited for the party tomorrow?" Adrien asked, breaking the silence of the car ride. Ella sighed, wringing her shaking hands in her skirt. She had been trying not to think about it, but it was becoming increasingly hard with Alya texting her details.
"Excited isn't the word I would use... I really wish I had told Alya no..." Ella confessed, keeping her gaze out the window. In the reflection, he could see Adrien frown but he didn't say anything, opting to reach over and take one of Ella's trembling hands in his own.
The car ride returned to silence and continued as the two teens entered the manor.
"Good night, Adrien..." Ella gave a small anxious smile as the pair approached the stairs. Adrien gave her hand a squeeze before pulling his love into a gentle hug.
"Tomorrow will be fine- I promise I'll make sure you're happy and comfortable. I know parties aren't your thing but you went today and I'm so proud of you. But I know tomorrow the attention will be focused on you, and you hate that, but I promise I'll be at your side and make sure you're happy." Adrien whispered into her hair, his arms encasing her in a cocoon of safety. Ella smiled into his shoulder, her eyes filling with happy tears.
"Thank you, mon étoile..."