Chapter 5: Pound it.

Disclaimer: I own only the plot of THIS story. Characters belong to Jeremy Zag, Thomas Astruc and Nathanael Bronn.

Marinette sighed as she put down the last photograph she had of Adrien into the pink polka-dotted box.

She looked up at the wall. It seemed so empty without those green eyes smiling back at her warmly. She still had two photographs up to go with the rest she was going to put up of her friends; he was still her friend after all.

Tikki zipped up to her. "Wow. It's a new change."

"I know. Seems so bare now huh?"

Tikki pointed at the other box next to Marinette. "It won't be once you put those on."

Marinette looked to where Tikki was gesturing. Inside were numerous photos of her with and her best friends.

She could do this. She could move on. Maybe it wasn't as hard as she was cracking it up to be.

Marinette picked up the first photo from the new box. It was a group photo of her with Alya, Nino and Adrien. She smiled as she remembered the sweet memories related to the photo.

She placed the photo on the center of the wall and smiled. It seemed like a good fit.

She spent the next half hour placing the different photos on the wall and taking a walk down memory lane.

She sighed and laid back to examine her work.

"Wow Marinette," Tikki said. "It looks great! It's a fresh change."

"Thanks, Tikki, but it's still missing something."

Marinette looked back at the wall. She had everyone: Alya, Nino, Adrien, Max, Kim, Nathaniel, Alix, Juleka, Rose, Mylene, Ivan and even Chloe and Sabrina.

So why did she feel like she was missing someone?

Tikki giggled. "Maybe it's your kitty cat."

Marinette's eyes widened. Of course. She couldn't forget to put a picture of him on the wall dedicated to her friends! He was her best friend after Alya. Well, Ladybug's best friend anyway.

She felt the heat crawling up to her cheeks at Tikki's suggestive look. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

The smirk on the kwami's face was too misplaced compared to her sweet, bubbly voice. "Maybe you shouldn't put him on there. He'd never let you hear the end of it if he found out."

Marinette rolled her eyes. She could only imagine what that would do to boost his ego. But he was her partner. He helped her through thick and thin. She had to include him.

His ego was a façade anyway. She'd seen a broken and insecure boy yesterday on her balcony. Just remembering his expression made her sad again. She would put him on her wall.

Besides, she would just keep him on her balcony if he visited anyway.

She printed two of her favourite photos of him, laminated them and placed them on the wall next to Adrien's.

She smiled. Now it looks complete.

Tikki giggled once more. "You know, it's going to look suspicious if you don't put one of Ladybug on there."

"I already have enough of mine. I'm not putting one of my masked persona."

"He's definitely going to tease you about this."

"Whatever. I'll just never let him in the room."

"I'm going to pair you up for the next assignment." Their art teacher said.

A collective groan echoed through the classroom. No one liked assignments where they couldn't pick their own groups—or pairs.

"You'll have to draw a graphite portrait of the person you're paired with—"

"And soil my beautiful hands and designer clothes?" Chloe shrieked. "No way."

Their teacher raised an eyebrow. "It'll account for twenty-five percent of your final grade."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Ugh, who cares about art? Who's gonna fail in it anyway?"

"Well, I'll make sure you do if you don't turn this assignment in."

"But my daddy will just—"

"That's enough Miss Bourgeois. You will do the project. And you will do it yourself." He turned to face the rest of the class. "Now, it doesn't have to be perfect, but you will be graded on proportions and basic shading rules."

Marinette wrung her hands anxiously as she waited to be paired. She really wanted to be paired with Alya, but her best friend was paired with Max.

By the end of the list, there were only three other people left. Chloe, Sabrina, and Adrien.

She closed her eyes and prayed to God that she wasn't going to be with Chloe. Not Chloe. Not Chloe.

"Chloe and Sabrina."

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. But that meant—

"And Adrien and Marinette. I expect all your portraits to be submitted by the end of next week."

Marinette couldn't decide if she wanted to blush until she was scarlet or bang her head against the desk repeatedly until she passed out.

The universe was out to get her.

And passing out seemed like a lovely option. Especially when the blonde in question turned to her with a smile.

"So…" he said. "when do you want to do the project?"

She was sure she'd pass out—whether she banged her head against the table or not.

Okay. She could do this. She could talk without stuttering. It was the first step in moving on. "I…I…y-you…whenever."

God dammit!

Adrien blinked. "Oh…okay. Cool. How about tomorrow? I'm free. And I really don't wanna drag this out."

Okay. Second try. This was fine. She was fine. She could do this.

"U-Um…sure. I'm free tomorrow."

There. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Adrien smiled. "Okay great! Should we meet up at your place?" he placed a hand on the back of his neck. "My father most likely won't allow it if we went to mine."

Her house? Oh no.

She took a deep breath. "Yeah that's fine. How about four pm tomorrow?"

Yes! She did it! You go Marinette!

"That sounds great. And I apologize in advance. I'm not good at drawing. So you're going to look horrible by the end of it."

"No problem."

Adrien smiled at her again and turned back in his seat.

She slumped on her desk the moment his eyes were off her.

She could do the talking. Talking was fine. Having him in her house though…that was a different story.

Marinette yelped and barely managed to dodge the akuma's blow.

At this rate. She would outrun Chloe for the number of akumas she caused.

She'd been giving her chemistry practicals when her clumsy self decided to fall and take her lab partner down with her.

This had resulted in an angry Ms. Mendeleiev, a lowered grade—for both of them—and ethanol all over the floor.

Apparently, her partner was sensitive about his grades. And now she was running through the streets of Paris, trying to dodge said ethanol. Only this time, it was being thrown at her. And this time it had the power to freeze her in place.

She looked around frantically as she ran. That stupid cat was no where to be seen. And she hadn't been able to transform either. She thought all her luck had been used up when she was not paired with Chloe.

She turned into an alleyway. Bad move. Because that was a dead end.

She turned around and the akuma was there, right behind her, sneering at her in all its lab-coated glory. It held beakers and test tubes in its hands, ready to strike at her.

But when it did, a black leather-clad figure jumped in between and spun his baton to dodge the blow. Marinette sighed in relief.

"Now," Chat said. "I didn't say you could hurt my friend."

Marinette rolled her eyes. Leave it to Chat Noir to rile the akuma further.

The akuma sneered at him and shot him again, but Chat countered easily. He whacked his baton into the akuma's chest.

While the villain was distracted, he quickly spun to face Marinette. He scooped her up and jumped onto the nearest rooftop.

He grinned at her. "Hello Princess. Trapped with the akuma again? I'm beginning to think that's your element."

She groaned.

A look of pure pride spread across his face. "Don't be too angry. You need to molecule down."

She didn't care if she was rude. She smacked him on the top of his head.

"Meow-ch."

He jumped down from the rooftop as blasts of ethanol were fired at them. They clearly hadn't lost the akuma.

And the akuma was hell-bent on attacking Marinette.

Chat ran through the streets as fast as he could while still avoiding the akuma's blasts. Marinette prayed they'd lose sight of the akuma soon so that she could transform.

But of course, luck was not on her side that day. Because ten minutes later they were still running through the streets away from the akuma. Even Chat was starting to lose his breath.

"That akuma's not cutting us any slack." He said.

Marinette looked around. Familiar shops lined the streets. A fabric store, a café, a grocery store, a shop selling fireworks, a barber shop—

Wait. Fireworks?

Wasn't ethanol flammable?

She thanked the heavens that she had paid attention in science class for once in her life.

"Chat!" she said. "Take me to that firework store."

He looked at her incredulously. "What? Why?"

"Trust me."

He looked at her and nodded. He turned sharply and headed to the store. He dropped her off near the entrance and ran off to distract the akuma.

She quickly ran into the store, startling the man in the front counter. "Can I buy one of your hand firecrackers?"

"Oh," the man said. "Sure."

He handed the item to her with an incredulous expression. She was sure he thought her crazy for buying firecrackers during an akuma attack.

She quickly paid for them and ran back out. Chat turned to her once she was in his line of sight and ran toward her. He picked her up and they dashed away once more.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"Can you take us to a safe place without many pedestrians?" she waved her firecracker in front of him as an explanation of her absurd plan.

Realization hit him and he looked at her as if she'd grown two heads. "You're going to set the place on fire?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Well, your Lady isn't here, is she?"

He grumbled and turned into an alleyway bordered by two stone buildings. He set her down and looked at her suspiciously. "I don't like this. This could be dangerous."

She was about to reply when the akuma came hurling in the alley. It cackled. "Trapped now, aren't you?"

It shot them and they ducked, backing into one of the buildings. They ran around the villain in a circle, Chat propelling his baton to protect them from getting hit, until a ring of alcohol separated them from the akuma.

Marinette ripped open the package and lit up the cracker. She inched forward slowly and brought the cracker near the edge of the ring.

It lit up instantly and a ring of fire now replaced the ring of alcohol.

The akuma froze in place, trapped inside of the ring. Chat extended his baton and hopped over fire to snatch off the akuma's safety goggles.

He threw them towards Marinette, and she reached up to catch it, but she wasn't Marinette if she wasn't clumsy.

She tripped and nearly fell into the fire, but she rolled off at the last second, and her left arm took the brunt of the damage.

She vaguely heard Chat screaming her name, but she was distracted by the pain spreading from the burn mark on her forearm. Tears pricked the edges of her eyes and she grit her teeth in pain.

Chat quickly picked up her de-akumatized lab partner and jumped over the ring next to her. He knelt next to her and gently took ahold of her burnt arm. His ears flattened on the top of his head and his tail drooped. He turned toward her lab partner. "Can you get home on your own?"

"Yeah. No problem."

He turned and fled the alleyway, leaving the two of them alone.

Chat turned to her. "Does it hurt a lot?"

She shook her head. "No, it just burns a little." It burns a lot.

He put the goggles—which had fallen next to her—in his pocket, and scooped her up once more and leaped on to the rooftops. He ran until he reached the rooftop of Le Grand Paris and he set her down on one of the lounge chairs.

He knelt in front of her and looked at her. "I'm sorry." He said.

She smiled. "It's okay. It's not your fault."

"I should've taken the hit. I have a suit to protect myself. You shouldn't have been there."

She knew he was blaming himself unnecessarily. There was nothing he could've done. It was her own choice to pull of something that stupid. She smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. "You helped as much as you could."

His ears were still flat against his head, and a look of distress still crossed his face.

"You know," she said, trying to ease the tension, "Chloe is going to kill me if she finds me lounging on her lounge chair."

He smiled softly. "Yeah, maybe you should hide if she gets here. We don't want to deal with another akuma."

"I will. You should go back. Make sure the fire isn't spreading or causing any damage."

"Will you be fine?"

"Yes."

He kissed the back of her hand. "I'll be back." He said and leapt away from the rooftop.

Tikki zipped up to her immediately. "Are you okay Marinette? Have you lost your mind?! What were you thinking?!"

"Sorry Tikki. I couldn't transform."

"You are an idiot."

Marinette blinked at the kwami. "Okay…"

She zipped up and hugged her cheek. "But I'm glad you're okay."

She hugged the kwami back. "Thanks. But we still have to capture and purify the akuma. Tikki, spots on!"

The burn on her forearm was less painful when she was transformed.

Ladybug flew across the city in her yo-yo and landed in front of a pacing Chat Noir.

"Where were you?!" he yelled.

She was taken aback by his tone. "I wasn't able to transform."

He sighed. "I'm sorry. A civilian got caught in the crossfire when I was battling the akuma."

She smiled at him. Always a thoughtful kitty. "No problem."

He handed her the goggles and she soon purified the akuma that fluttered out once she broke it. She summoned her lucky charm to cleanse. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The swarm of ladybugs cleansed the city. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief as all indications of the fight were vanished. All indications except her burn anyway.

She turned to Chat, but he was already starting to leap away. "Sorry Milady." He smiled. "I'd love to chat, but I left someone on a rooftop."

Marinette started when she realized that that someone was her. "Wait Chat!"

But he had already leaped away.

She cursed her luck and wrapped her yo-yo around a chimney, taking a shorter route.

Do I ever get a break?

Marinette thanked the heavens that she reached the rooftop of Le Grand Paris when she did. Because not even seconds later Chat was vaulting towards her.

She quickly de-transformed and collapsed on the lounge chair. Yep. Chloe was definitely going to murder her if she found her here.

Tikki zipped away into her purse. Just in time for Chat to land in front of her.

His worried eyes trailed to her burn mark, and he winced. "I thought the Miraculous cure would've fixed it. It always fixes injuries."

It did fix injuries. Just not Ladybug's. But she couldn't tell him that without compromising her identity. "I don't know why it didn't."

Chat sighed. "You still shouldn't have been there."

Her eyes softened. "I'm fine Chat. It's just a burn."

"It's not just a burn!" he shouted. "You could've died Marinette!"

She flinched at the volume of his voice.

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried."

She smiled at him, hoping to ease his mind. "I know. But I'm fine. It's really not that bad."

He sighed again. "If you say so. Come on, I'll take you home."

He scooped her up again and jumped away from the rooftop towards her balcony.

In a few minutes, he was standing on her balcony. He walked to the trapdoor and opened it. Carefully balancing her on one arm, he shifted them into the entrance and jumped down on her bed.

He leapt to the floor and gently set her down on her chaise. "Where can I find the first-aid kit?" he asked.

She pointed towards her sink. "In the drawer on the left."

He quickly retrieved the kit and knelt in front of her. He took out the aloe jelly she had kept in and gently applied it on her burn.

She winced as she felt the cool sting, but it subsided quickly.

He covered the area with a sterile bandage. "There. That should be better."

She smiled. "Thanks kitty."

He took her off guard when he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "God. Don't do that again."

She wrapped her own arms—careful of the wrapped one—around him and squeezed. "Don't plan on it. Burns aren't exactly fun."

He just hugged her tighter. She frowned. She didn't like that he was so scared. It didn't feel right.

It didn't suit him.

She would forever hate herself for this, but it would be worth it if it got him to smile. "But you have to admit, I was a-meow-zing."

He blinked and pulled back to look at her. A grin soon spread across his face. "Why Princess, was that a pun I heard?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes."

He grinned wider—if that was even possible. "I must be rubbing off on you already." He declared proudly. "I knew you loved my puns."

She scoffed. "No. I absolutely hate them."

"Don't lie. But yes. You were a-meow-zing." He held his fist up to her. "Pound it?"

She smiled and bumped her fist with his. "Pound it."

His ears perked up and his tail swished from side to side in barely concealed excitement. She giggled at his antics.

He looked around her room and his eyes fell on the wall of pictures she had of her friends. "Is that a photo of me?"

That shut her giggle up. She followed his gaze and heat spread across her cheeks. So much for not letting him in the room.

A dangerous smirk spread across his face. "Why Marinette! I never knew you had a shrine of me in your bedroom."

She grumbled. "It's only two photos."

"Oh, I think two photos are more than enough to fuel someone's fantasies."

She blushed impossibly harder. "I do not have fantasies about you!" she shrieked. "That's a wall with photographs of my friends!"

His grinned widened. She was sure his teeth would fall out if he smiled any wider. "Where's the photo of Ladybug then?"

She spluttered indignantly. That's me you idiot! She was seriously regretting not listening to Tikki.

"Oh, I know," he said, "it's 'cause you prefer me, isn't it? I don't blame you. I'm meow-velous. Who wouldn't want a piece of this?" he flexed his biceps.

She smacked him with the pillow on her chaise and puffed her chest up proudly as it hit him square in the face.

He didn't let that faze him though. He lowered his voice to a sultry tone. "Tell me mon cheri, have you fallen in love with me yet? Do I occupy your every waking thought? Do you dream about how much you'd rather be in my arms than—"

She stood up, her face threatening to spontaneously combust, and smacked him repeatedly with the pillow. It was an awkward move, since she could only use her right arm.

"Meow!" he squeaked and made a mad dash to her trapdoor.

"That's right!" she said, but even she could hear the laugh threatening to bubble out. "Get out of here."

"Don't be too sad!" he exclaimed. "I shall bless you with my glorious presence soon, fair Princess. Until then, I suggest you stare at more photos to fuel your—"

She threw the pillow at him this time. But it only grazed his tail as he jumped out the trapdoor. "Good day!" he sang and jumped away.

She could still hear his laughter echoing in the air.

She shook her head and smiled softly. Silly kitty.

Tikki flew up to her and smirked.

Marinette blushed. Again. "Shut up."

Thanks for reading. Until next time!