Many say, if you want the best view of Paris, go to the Eiffel tower. And yes, the view there was nice, but he would trade it one hundred times over for the view he got running on the rooftops, trailing after Ladybug.
That was undoubtedly the best view. As she swung through the streets, and occasionally joining him on the roofs. Sometimes, she would swing in between buildings, and he lose sight of her for a moment. But he never worried, he knew she was there. He knew she would come back.
He spotted her again at a distance, where she stopped, and turned to look at him; and waved him down.
She had stopped on the roof of a building that overlooked a familiar bakery.
"You're getting slow kitty," she teased, "maybe you should eat less of those croissants you always brag about."
He grinned, "How can I? When you tempt me just by bringing me to the best bakery in all of Paris?"
He motioned down to the building in front. He shook his head towards it.
"Come on, croissants are on me," he said, dropping down with the aid of his baton.
The bakery always smelled of fresh baked bread and held a warm and welcome atmosphere. Today was non the different. The little bell on the door jingled as they walked in, and immediately they were greeted by a tall burly man.
"Tom! How're you doing?" He exclaimed, raising his arms.
"My if it isn't Ladybug and Chat Noir," Sabine said, walking out from the back room. "What brings the heroes of Paris in today?"
"I was just telling m'lady, how great your croissants were, and she refused to believe me," he nudged her side with his elbow.
"I never said such a thing," she exclaimed.
He chuckled. "Alright maybe you didn't, but I still think these croissants are to die for. Trust me, after you taste these, you'll never want to eat from anywhere else."
Ladybug giggled in response.
Taking out the spare cash he kept in his pockets, he handed it to Tom. "Two croissants please."
He shook his head, "Keep your money."
"Oh no, we couldn't" He said, shaking the bills in his hand, "please take the money!"
Tom smiled and took out the croissants. "For our iconic superhero duo? On the house."
Tom shrugged, as he put them in a paper bag. "Besides you're one of the people who buy the most, so we don't mind."
"Are you sure Mr. Dupain? Really we don't mind paying." Ladybug said.
"Take them, if anything as a gift of gratitude for keeping Paris safe," Sabine said.
Tom held out the bag, and he took it.
"Thank you then," Ladybug said.
"Yes, thank you." He took the bag, and waved goodbye, as they walked out.
They sat on the roof where they usually began their patrols. Legs dangling in the air, as they quietly enjoyed their food.
"Well, m'lady? Are these or are these not the best croissants in the whole of Paris?"
Ladybug giggled, covering her mouth as she popped in the last of her croissant.
"What's so funny!"
"I've already been to that bakery before," she said.
"What? How come I haven't seen you?"
There it was again, her giggle. He smiled, content to listen to the sound of her laughter.
"In my civilian form silly."
"Really!" He perked up. "I'll have to go more often now that I know you might be there."
"You wouldn't even know if I was there."
"No, but just the thought of possibly standing behind you in line is enough to get me to go double the usual amount!" He shrugged and leaned forward. "Besides, I could always trail you after an akuma and watch you detransform."
He said it off handedly, and she knew he would never actually do it.
She laughed and looked out to the skyline. "Good luck finding me Chaton, good luck."
He leaned back on his hands and sighed.
"What a long three years it's been, hasn't it m'lady?"
She only gave a hum of agreement. As she looked fiercely at the sunset. Her eyes dancing around, scanning the horizon.
He chuckled; he could practically see the gears turning in her mind.
"What're you thinking bugaboo?"
"Just… Strategizing" She murmured; her eyes still turned forward.
"Strategizing what? How to get me to fall for you?" He flipped his hair and grinned, "Because I assure you m'lady, I–"
She pressed a finger to his lips. And not the gentle kind he daydreamed about when she would lean in and kiss him. No not that kind.
Had her finger not been there to stop her from doing so, his mouth would have gaped open. She had actually silenced him! How rude of her!
"M'lady?" He spoke, muffled.
"Hush, brain thinking," she said.
He stayed silent, letting her process whatever she was trying to. Not long after, she turned to him, wide-eyed.
"Chat, what do you think Hawkmoth does to all the butterflies we deakumatize?"
"Uhm, I don't know?" He said, still muffled by her finger.
She grinned, as her eyes lit up. "Because I have an idea that's quite possibly so stupid it might actually work."
The bell rang, signifying the end of the day.
"And remember, the project will be due Monday morning, 9 a.m. sharp you hear?" Mrs. Bustier said, "class dismissed."
Adrien turned to her. "Can you believe we only have a week left Marinette? Time really few by fast"
She nodded, reaching down for her bag. "I know! It feels still like we began our final fear–" she shook her head, "I mean final year. Only to have it end like that." She snapped her fingers.
She gave an awkward laugh, sucking in her stomach in a vain effort to control the butterflies that flew uncontrollably in it.
She cursed at herself, three years, and still unable to control her stuttering. Forget that, three years and her silly crush on Adrien still hadn't gone away!
"I can't believe Mrs. Bustier assigned us this last-minute project."
Again, she nodded, packing up her stuff. "It feels like she's only trying to keep us busy."
Adrien shrugged, slinging his bookbag on his shoulder. "I wouldn't be surprised if she already finished teaching the curriculum. Just be glad we're not Nino and Alya, I heard they were taking tests every single day of the week."
"I feel bad for them, but not bad enough for–to switch places with them," she chuckled.
"I'd say they got the short end of the stick as well."
She grunted and lifted up her bag.
"Here let me help you with that."
Adrien lifted the bag out of her hands, and swung it on his shoulder, with his own bag.
"Hey! I can carry it!"
"And let you break your back?" he shook his head, "besides it's also my responsibility, the only thing really weighing down are the books we're using for our project."
"Fine," she grumbled, opening her bag and digging into it.
She pulled out three textbooks out. "Then, I'll carry these, and you carry the other three. That way neither of us will break our backs."
He grinned. "Sounds like a plan."
"Where to, my place?" She asked, as they walked out of the classroom.
He shrugged, "sure."
"Hey dude, dudette," Nino greeted, hand in hand with Alya.
"Hey, how was class?" She asked, "Tests going well?"
Alya groaned, and rubbed her forehead," don't even talk about them. I feel like my brain is about to have an aneurysm."
Adrien chuckled, "that bad?"
"I can't even write my own name anymore dude."
"Marinette, can we go to your place? Your dad makes some mad cinnamon rolls that are perfect for my test hungover."
"Ah, I…" she turned to look at Adrien, who in turn also looked at her.
The looks clearly didn't go missed by Alya.
"Unless the two of you have plans?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
Like all the other times, the heat began from her neck, and rose all the way to her ears, until she heard a low rumble. Her cheeks were not spared from the heat either.
She croaked out a meager no and tightened her hold on the books. "Why would you think that Alya, I mean we have a group to work–I mean project! Group project to work on. And we were just cussing–discussing! Where to go! We decided haven't even where to go yet!"
"No, I'm pretty sure we were going to your place," Adrien interjected. "Why is your face so red Marinette?"
"Ah so you do have plans!" Alya exclaimed. "And you didn't want us to know!"
She smiled smugly and crossed her arms. "Are you two hiding something?"
"Yeah, for starters, why are you carrying both of your bags," Nino added, pointing to Adrien.
"Oh, I just offered to carry it for her that's all–"
"And I'm taking it right back!" She yelled, snatching it off his shoulder.
"I just remembered I have to help my mom with something! See you later!" She yelled.
And she ran off home, with probably the reddest face she could ever have.
Marinette groaned, and flopped on her bed. The daily stress of a graduating high school student with a crush she knew she would never be able to confess to, and who had millions of homework assignments due, who was also a miraculous guardian, who also battled overpowered akumatized victims as an alter ego with superpowers that's identity was to remain secret because some bald guy decided to have an existential mid-life crisis was certainly catching up to her.
"Wow that's a mouthful." She muttered, throwing her face into a pillow.
"What is?" Tikki asked from her desk, munching on a cookie.
She groaned again and flipped over. "Everything! I just want a break!"
"Well at least Hawkmoth hasn't akumatized anyone today."
"Ugh, knock on wood Tikki, let's hope it stays that way. Although one part of me can't wait to enact my plan."
"Do you really think it will work?" Wayzz flew up next to her.
She shrugged, and looked at her walls, momentarily distracted by the pictures of Adrien and her friends on the wall, mainly Adrien.
"I don't know, it may lead us to nowhere, and we'd be back to square one. But I'd say it's worth a try. The man can't keep evading us forever, we're bound to come across him again sometime."
"Marinette! Your friends are here!" Her mom called from downstairs.
"Hide!" She whispered.
With practiced chaos, all the Kwamis flew straight into the trunk where she hid the Miraculous box. Tikki flew back into her bag, just as her trapdoor lifted open.
Alya was the first to walk up, a knowing smile on her face. "Hi Marinette," She greeted.
She looked back at her trunk, Trixx popped his head out and waved at her. Alya waved back slightly, and she motioned for him to hide again.
"Woah dudette, it feels like I haven't been in your room in a long while," Nino said, next to walk in. "It still looks pretty much the same though."
She chuckled and rubbed her neck. "Yeah, I was hoping on maybe redecorating, but since I'm going to be leaving soon, I didn't figure it would be that worth it."
Adrien walked in next and silently joined them.
"But you would come back, wouldn't you? You wouldn't leave your poor best friend stranded her in Paris!" Alya exclaimed, sitting down on her desk chair.
She rolled her eyes. "It's just for a year Alya, I will be back."
"Oh, I forgot you're going on that internship for Adrien's dad, right?" Nino asked.
She nodded, "It's all thanks to Adrien that I got it."
He chuckled, "Don't be so humble Marinette, I only put in a good word for you. It was clear you worked hard on those designs you presented."
"Not to mention, I'm sure Gabriel already had an eye for your work, remember that hat competition?" Alya added.
She smiled and hid her cheeks behind her hands. "I'm sure he like my works, but I couldn't have done it without you guys here to motivate me."
Alya smiled and reached up to hug her.
"Heartwarming as this is, dudes," Nino said, "Don't we need to study for our physics test tomorrow?"
Alya pulled away from her. "Yeah, and the calc test too."
"Ugh and the French war history one too" they both groaned together.
She giggled, "We just have group–our group project."
"Well lucky you." Alya groaned.
Adrien chuckled, "it's best we get started then."
Not long after they had begun working, their phones all rang simultaneously.
Alya pulled hers out and gasped, making eye contact with her.
"An akuma!"
"Really?" Adrien exclaimed.
She stood up.
"Dudette?"
She laughed nervously, "I just uhm remembered I have to help my mom with something!" She said, running towards her trapdoor.
"Didn't you help your mom earlier though?" Nino asked.
She turned around, rubbing her neck. "Did I say help my mom? No! I meant, feed my cat! Well not my cat, cause I don't have a cat," she blustered, "I meant, uhm I have to go feed a stray cat that's in our back alley? Alright gotta go!"
And she ran down the stairs and outside.
"Feeding your cat?" Tikki said, popping out. "I'm sure Nino and Adrien will believe that one."
She groaned, "I know, I know. I'll think up a better excuse once I come back, but right now Paris needs us more. Not to mention, I really hope this plan works. Tikki! Spots on!"
A red blur popped out from behind an alleyway and disappeared as it swung up into the buildings. Not long after a black blur emerged from the other side of the alleyway, and it too ran off, in search of its red partner.
Next Update: 07-03-21
–Proverbs 3:31–