- Full Summary -
Now a young adult, Marinette has put everything she has ever earned and saved into finally owning her own fashion business. Her friends and family urging her to slow down, stop & enjoy life. But she is blissfully determined to put everything else life has to offer on hold in order to make her passion a reality.
Except her duties as Ladybug, of course. Even without her flirty crime-fighting partner, Chat Noir - who hasn't been seen in years, as Adrien has been abroad in Italy.
Even Luka patiently waits for her to give him another chance. To give them another chance.
But as the business she fought so hard to create begins to collapse around her, she turns to Adrien for help. And Marinette can't deny that he still hold a special place in her heart. Despite her trying so hard to forget about him.
A modern rivalry tale, mixed with sinful new love, and ending with a reveal.
- Chapter 1 -
Marinette sat alone on the frozen concrete stoop in front of a boarded-up building. Her handmade burgundy colored coat hugged close to her body. Although her legs, only covered in thin leggings, were definitely feeling the cold. Hot breath escaped her lungs in little puffy condensation clouds. A beautifully matching burgundy beanie covered her head and was pulled down over her ears. Although her ear lobes were still exposed, and they were numb. She hadn't knitted the beanie, but she had made and sewn on the little lacey flower details.
She resisted the urge to pull out her phone and check the time for the dozenth time in the past five minutes. She had an appointment. She knew she was stupid early. But the anticipation was eating at her.
She nervously tapped the low heel of her boot in the sloshy and dirty melted snow. Paris rarely got snow. And this little dusting had fallen in the night, hit the ground, and melted almost instantly. Now it just made for mucky piles to accumulate and freeze over, turning the pavement slippery in unsuspecting places.
She shivered and stood up. Checking to make sure her butt wasn't wet. Thankfully the low overhanging roof had kept the stoop fairly clean. She stepped out into the street, and looked both directions for a lady she'd never met. There were people on the street, but no one heading in her direction. In fact, most people had their faces buried in their coats and rushed to get indoors as quickly as possible. It was just that kind of cold. Wet, miserable and gloomy.
Marinette let out a heavy sigh that had nothing to do with the weather. She climbed the deep stoop and leaned against the door of the building. The building matched the weather. It had certainly seen better days. Her eyes glanced at the cracking and flaking paint along the trim of the door.
"It's only cosmetic. The bones are good." Came a small, high-pitched voice from her side.
Marinette did not need to turn and look. She knew that voice like her own conscience. The words earned a smile from her lips.
"I know." She answered softly. But she still had her doubts. This was the undertaking of a lifetime.
Glancing upward, she looked past the cracking paint and graffitied boarded up window. There was beautiful clear glass behind the wooden boards. She knew that. She had been stalking this place for over a year.
It was a small shopfront, with (hopefully) a small apartment on the second floor. The plaster was chipped and chunks were missing in large spots on the upper story, and the balcony railing was rusted out. Whoever had owned it before had left potted plants on the balcony. The long dead plants were overgrown and spindly as their naked branches had woven themselves through the metal and down the side of the building before giving up.
The roof was concerning. There were spots that looked bad, and roof repairs were beyond her expertise. She may, or may not, have stomped around on the roof a bit as her alter ego – you know, for science.
The lower level was the dedicated shopfront. With a single but large rectangle window next to the narrow entrance door. More graffiti littered the concrete walls. But behind that colorful graffiti, the concrete had been poured in a faux stone look.
The building stood wedged between a few other shops that had met the same fate. Visible 'For Sale/For Lease' signs were plastered in each window. However, these all listed major realtor companies and phone numbers. But not this one. It was still privately owned.
And while the major realtor companies had let the other shops wither and rot away, this one still showed signs of love. Someone was clearly looking after it, and keeping it from the same fate as its neighbors.
It had taken some time and minor detective skills to figure out who owned the old building. She had never seen the inside. And she could only hope it was as promising as the outside.
Reaching into her coat pocket, Marinette retrieved her cell phone and checked for any missed calls or texts. Nothing. And with a quick glance at the time, once again, she still had five minutes until the agreed upon meetup time. Maybe she should have stopped for coffee? A hot drink certainly sounded wonderful right about now.
Suddenly concerned for her companion, Marinette gently spoke out. "I'm sorry this is taking so long. Are you cold, Tikki?"
"I'm fine Marinette. Your scarf is very warm." The tiny Goddess replied from inside Marinette's satchel bag. She was so small that a scarf was plenty of bedding.
The Goddess remarked to herself that, for the many years they had been together, her Chosen was never early for anything. Being on time was even rarer. This place must mean more to Marinette then she dared to admit.
Tikki had watched Marinette work herself half to death over the past few years. Two, sometimes three jobs at once. Sleepless nights. Early mornings. The occasional akuma attack to make her already exhausted Chosen appear dead on her feet at times.
And while the akuma attacks had lessened over the years, (something that both Tikki and Marinette could still not figure out) Ladybug still patrolled the vast city at least three times a week. Acting as its secret protection.
She wasn't trying to play pretend cop. The Paris police department was an extremely capable group of men and women. But if she could prevent a carjacking, robbery or mugging by simply keeping the bad guys wrapped up while the cops arrived, then that was reward enough for her. And for that reason, the police respected her and had her back. Besides, when akuma's did attack, she was their only hope.
And also because Chat Noir was gone. He had been gone for several years now.
Not gone, as in, gone-gone. Just missing in action, if you will. Ladybug knew the truth of his absence. But they had both agreed, it was in the best interest of his secret identity if he just disappeared without an explanation to the public.
It had caught Ladybug completely off guard when he had approached her about it. She could still remember the raw physical pain in his voice.
It had been after an akuma battle, which had taken place the day of Marinette's and her classmate's graduation from lycée. Everyone had been all smiles. Hugging, cheering and snapping dozens of photos. Too bad a parent got overly dramatic about their child's big day and got akumatized into: Empty Nest.
Even Ladybug rolled her eyes at the name. Akumatized victims just seemed to be taking their nicknames straight from psychology textbooks these days. Still, Empty Nest managed to send the afternoon into a panic as she swallowed people up into her protective cocoon. Which was ironically shaped like a bird's nest.
It took Ladybug and Chat Noir a hot minute to defeat her and calm the poor woman down. Although even with Ladybug's powers, the graduation ceremony was pretty much ruined. Oh well. There would be many afterparties to look forward to.
As Ladybug pushed her fist towards Chat Noir for their traditional salute farewell, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a tight hug. Not uncharacteristic of him. But his next words made her physically shiver.
"Can we talk?" he whispered into her ear. Her voice so serious that it scared her.
There were still tons of people around. They couldn't talk here. Let alone the fact that both their Miraculous' were beeping.
"Bell tower. Notre-Dame." She whispered back. "One hour."
He nodded casually and leapt away without another word, leaving Ladybug standing there with worry growing in her chest.
When they reconnected that short hour later, Chat Noir was already waiting and she was late, but sincerely apologetic.
They exchanged casual pleasantries which felt awkward and made the air tense. After about the third long and awkward silence, Ladybug finally asked him what was wrong. Because it was painfully clear that her partner was in distress.
Chat Noir cleared his throat to speak. Although that only served to steal the words from his lips. He tried again, managing to squeak out a few words of utter nonsense. And that earned him a gentle hand on his shoulder from his beloved Lady.
"You're starting to scare me. What's wrong?" she asked.
His bottom lip began to quiver, so he bit it. Hard.
For perhaps the first time, Ladybug watched as Chat Noir struggled to find his words.
Eyes cast downward; he finally spoke. "I don't know how to tell you this without revealing things about me… The real me." His emerald gaze shifted to stare at her. Hoping that she would give him the okay to speak plainly.
Ladybug swallowed hard. "I guess just break it down slowly?" she suggested. "Keep it simple. Not too many details." She always had a way of explaining things that made it sound so easy. But that was his Lady: beauty, brains, and an uncanny ability to see the bigger picture in everything.
Chat Noir sighed. It could never be simple. Not with her. He had a thousand things he wanted to say to her. And yet, every time he looked at her, truly looked at her, he still saw her as something unachievable. Not because she was undesirable, but because he felt like he didn't deserve her.
Choking his heart down once again to rot in his belly, he covered her hand on his shoulder with his own. Giving it a gentle squeeze.
He took a deep, calming breath. Skipping the details, he decided to go with the darkest truth.
"I'm leaving Paris."
He hesitated to say more. Waiting for her to say something in response.
Truthfully, it took Ladybug a few long and agonizing seconds to realize just what he was saying and what it meant to her.
"Forever?" she asked, keeping her voice steady.
"I don't know." He answered. Truly, he didn't. But it would certainly be for a long time.
Adrien Agreste was being forced to move to Milan, Italy to attend university and continue his illustrious career as a model of his father's brand. But he couldn't tell her that.
Not matter how much Adrien had begged and pleaded with his Father about this. The decision was being made for him. Family and pride above all else. Even his own son's happiness.
Ladybug squeezed his hand, and the action brought his attention out of his own thoughts and back to her.
"When?" she asked. She could only keep her questions simple. Her mind was racing now and her heart was sad.
"A month, maybe more." He pinched his eyes shut with gathering emotion that threatened to spill over. He felt his resolve weakening. The next words spoken would be purely out of desolation. He couldn't hold them back. Not now.
"Bug… I… I'm so…"
"Stop. Don't say another word." She told him. Her voice gentle but firm. It held the strength that he wished he had.
She pulled her hand out of his and rubbed his arm soothingly. "It's going to be okay, Chat. I promise."
"But… Paris… the akumas… Hawkmoth…" He babbled.
He really wanted to say, What about you? What about us? Will you miss me? What am I to do without you?
"We'll manage. We have other allies." She smiled dully – trying to believe her own words. "Don't worry about Paris. She's tough."
He choked down a dry laugh at her little joke. It was as if she knew what he was thinking. Yeah, Paris was tough. She was tougher. She never really needed him.
But he wanted it to be them, together. He wanted to believe that this would go on forever. That, one day, she would be his? Perhaps he was that naïve in thinking so?
Seeing him so sad, Ladybug felt it was right to tell him more.
"It won't be the same without you Chat Noir."
He hung his head in disbelief, but she tilted her own head and leaned down to peer underneath his blonde bangs. "Truly. It won't." she added.
He chuckled dully and lifted his face back to hers. Wanting to believe her but still so upset and torn that it ached.
"We are partners, Chat Noir. And we'll always be partners. You leaving doesn't change that. I swear."
He had nothing else left to say. Well, actually he did. But he would probably never say it. It was better that way. So instead, he extended a weak fist towards her and forced a flirty smile to his lips.
"I'll hold you to that… bugaboo."
She sighed. But even the tone of her sigh was filled with relief and a hint of humor. She bumped his fist.
"Silly kitty."
And so, within the next few weeks, Paris started to see less and less of Chat Noir. Until, eventually, he disappeared altogether. The rumors of his absence spread like wildfire, and did not stop for several more months. Adrien found himself chuckling at the headlines as he settled into his new apartment. Oh, how he wished he could tease Ladybug about these. The puns were almost writing themselves.
Nevertheless, time did pass. Although, Marinette had to admit, the years without Chat Noir by her side had been, well, lonely. And while she trusted the other miraculous holders, because they were indeed some of her best friends, Chat Noir had been special. Special in many strange ways, but special to her.
First of all, besides herself, he had been the only other person Master Fu deemed worthy to have a miraculous outright. That had made their relationship quite distinct from the beginning. Their partnership felt more real because they had shared in the same struggles. The same double life drama.
Additionally, Master Fu had not asked for Chat Noirs miraculous to be returned when he left. Which always gave Ladybug a little bit of hope that he would return. Maybe one day. But now, years later, she could only send him positive thoughts, and continue to work on with her own life.
And, at pressing moments, Ladybug did call upon her former classmates to take up their own masked identities and help her. Mostly only Carapace and Rena Rouge. As Alya's and Marinette's friendship had withstood the test of time. And Alya's and Nino's romantic relationship was constantly on and off. Mostly on. They loved each other. But, like most of the people they knew, they were both struggling with their lives and starting their careers.
Alya was interning at the local news station. Her dream of being a reporter growing grimmer with every cup of coffee she fetched. The pay was abysmal. But, ever the entrepreneur, she had gained a decent following on social media with her vlogs about local events, politics, gossip, and yes… Ladybug. That side work made her day job bearable. Although it did not pay the bills.
Nino had pursued his career as a DJ. But without fame and a world renown reputation, he was stuck doing weddings, kids birthday parties, and the random corporate event. He made decent money when he got gigs. But he was in a perpetual state of 'on call' status. Which is a strange way to live your life.
As for Marinette, she worked so hard in order to save every penny she earned. In the hopes that her three jobs would turn into a single career. Her dream career. This shop being a gigantic milestone in Marinette's beginning of achieving that goal. But a huge undertaking.
Although, as Tikki nuzzled herself back down into Marinette's beautiful hand-made scarf, she felt the pains of guilt. It wasn't fair that Marinette had to lead this double life. Her own life was hectic enough as she tried to pursue her passions. Adding being Ladybug to the mix was draining her.
And yet, Marinette's smile and kindness towards others never faltered. Which was something Tikki truly admired about the young woman. She had amazing courage and a generous heart. Rarely selfish and painstakingly stubborn. She never complained about being Ladybug, or the ramifications of it impacting her own life.
Truthfully, Tikki hadn't expected this war with Hawkmoth, and the various other pop-up villains, to last for so long. And while Hawkmoth's presence had indeed diminished a bit, he was still out there. The moth miraculous was still under his control. And the peacock miraculous was still missing.
But, for now, she was content to be a part of Marinette's adult life. There certainly was never a dull moment.
Marinette pulled out her phone again. It was three minutes past the hour.
Her fingers brushed the screen, pulling up her recent calls. But she hesitated. Should she call? Or was that too rude? It was only three minutes. God she was so nervous. The waiting was killing her. She had to be at work after this appointment.
Oh god, but what if the land-lady never showed? What if she backed out of their meeting? What if she was having second thoughts? Marinette would never find a building this inexpensive to rent, let alone in such a decent neighborhood. She may never get to open her business. She had her heart set on this building. If she didn't get it… No, she couldn't think about that right now. She didn't have a second choice. As the saying goes, all her eggs were in this one basket.
Marinette took a deep breath and let it out slowly, making a dense vapor cloud in front of her face. She watched the cloud dissipate up into the sky and her eyes scanned the rooftops way above. The city looked so different from down here versus up there. Up there, she could see beyond the skyline to the world beyond. Having never left Paris, she could not even begin to imagine life outside of this amazing city. And yet, from down here, it was almost suffocating.
The sound of footsteps approaching brought her gaze back down as she turned her head in the direction of the sound.
An older woman stood just a ways in front of her. She had deep, dark bags under her wrinkled eyes and her greying hair was scooped back in a disheveled bun, allowing for multiple stringy pieces to fly free. Her tiny lipped mouth was in a resting perpetual scowl.
She was wrapped in a patchwork blanket that looked like it belonged on the back of a couch. Her feet were stuffed into toe-less slippers, and mismatched socks poked through.
"Madame Gelinas?" Marinette asked, breaking the awkward silence.
The woman's eyes narrowed into slits. She honestly didn't think the girl had been serious in seeing this place. Let alone be so young, and full of that youthful glow that made her instantly feel her age.
She reached into the pocket of her robe and retrieved a single metal key while shuffling forward. Still without saying a single word.
Marinette stepped aside and let the woman pass and go up to the door and begin to unlock it.
Marinette chewed on her bottom lip out of nervousness. Trying to stay calm and respectful, she spoke again, "Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me today. I really appreciate…"
The wood door opened inward with a deafening squeak of hinges, and a wave of stale dusty air, struck Marinette in the face.
"There's no heat." Ms. Gelinas told her bleakly as she huffed into the dark room.
Marinette took a deep steadying breath, and followed after her. Her low-heeled boots tapped dully on the linoleum floor.
The room was too dark to see anything, so she retrieved her cell phone and turned on the flashlight. Once light hit the sleeping room, she took large, excited steps into the space and felt her heart skip several beats.
The walls were unfinished and rough. Thick cobwebs decorated the corners. The exposed concrete giving way to reveal peeks of dark grey chiseled stone. The notched walls led up to a delightfully pointed high ceiling. Huge exposed beams ran the length of the space. Perfect for hanging paper lanterns or flowers or twinkle lights.
"No AC either." Ms. Gelinas barked at her.
Marinette aimed her flashlight down. The linoleum floor was bucking and bubbling in places, but the geometric pattern was subtle and pretty. To her delight, the linoleum only went a few feet past the entrance, before turning into wide planked discolored wood floors. There were deep knots, cracks and puncture spots. They creaked with every step, and the nails were rough and dangerous to bare feet. But they were worn smooth due to years of foot traffic.
Marinette's light traveled to the boarded-up front window, which had a lovely wide window seat. It could definitely fit a mannequin and still have space to see in. Along the far wall was a built-in worksurface or it could even be a countertop. It was deep and very solid. No cabinet storage underneath, but that was easy to fix.
She padded towards the back of the room, passing a split staircase, to find a small bathroom. No tub. And it had an open shower (i.e. no curtain or glass door), just a showerhead on a detachable wand. The floor was mildewed black and gross, with a visible drain in the middle of the muck.
"Hope you like cold showers."
Marinette heard everything she was saying, but really wasn't actually hearing it. Her mind was go a thousand miles an hour at the possibilities. She left the bathroom and walked back into the main space and glanced at the stairs.
"May I?" she asked, pointing upwards.
Ms. Gelinas waved her on and did not follow.
The stairs were deep and uneven, but they were solid concrete. So, there was no fixing that. Just something to get used to.
There was a small landing at the top, and then two doors. One was coming off of its hinges. The other, leaning precariously against the wall. The first led to a small open room with its own tiny window that opened with an oxidized brass crank. Perfect for a bedroom. The other room had a large and deep sink, and nothing else. Not even a toilet. Oh well, guess she would have to go up and down the stairs each time.
Taking a small breath, she took a moment to take it all in. She imagined herself living here. Working here. A huge smile instantly creeped across her face. Yes. Yes, it was perfect. Perfect for her. Her friends already called her crazy. They would probably call her insane for taking this on. But Marinette could see the potential surrounding the little space. This would be her legacy.
She made quickly for the stairs and, in her haste, her heel went directly through the wood floor. Making a foot-sized hole in the boards.
Well, now she had to take it. She was already leaving her mark.
Going back downstairs, she met Ms. Gelinas, who hadn't moved much and still looked irritated.
Marinette smiled pleasantly towards her. "I really love it." She exclaimed happily as she walked towards the woman excitedly.
Ms. Gelinas raised a single thin eyebrow in her direction.
"It'll be a thousand a month. I'll need first and last up front."
Marinette's brow furrowed in confusion. "I-I thought you said… nine hundred… on the phone."
"I know what I said." The woman remarked.
Marinette swallowed hard. She was not expecting the woman to back-pedal on her initial offer. She felt a ball of anxiety build in her belly. Nervously, she began to weakly negotiate.
"W-What if I do all the repairs myself? I'll paint, clean… Replace the… erm… " The everything.
Ms. Gelinas gave her a dark look, but let it go. "You'll be living here… alone?"
Marinette nodded. "Just me, yes. I want to open a little shop here." Her arm gestured to the space they were standing in. "And I'll live upstairs."
"What kind of shop?"
"A boutique. For clothes, accessories, and the like. I'm into fashion."
"Uh-huh." She answered nonchalantly, not really caring.
She gave Marinette a look from head to toe and made another demand. The girl looked way too vanilla to try and deal with anything illegal in nature.
"No animals. Of any kind."
"Yes, I promise." She agreed. Thinking that she was wearing the woman down on her sudden increased price. Marinette hoped so. She couldn't afford that price.
"Not even a fish in a bowl."
Marinette chuckled slightly, but then realized the lady was being serious. So she stopped instantly.
"Yep, not even fish. Promise." She echoed.
Ms. Gelinas eyed her suspiciously. The girl was borderline insane for taking this on. But if she agreed to do all the repairs, then she might actually stand to gain something from their relationship. Goodness knows she didn't have the blind enthusiasm for home renovations. Maybe in her youth. Once upon a time ago.
Although she recognized that glint in the girl's eye. That blind faith in oneself. She could remember feeling that way about her own career. And she had let it consume all her good years. Sure, she had money now as a result of her business decisions. But she was alone.
Snapping back, she reached into her bra strap and revealed a torn slip of paper.
"Rent is due on the first of the month. Cash only. No excuses." She handed the paper to Marinette. "My address."
Marinette took the paper and nodded her head slowly. "Oh! Thank you. T-Thank you so much!"
Ms. Gelinas turned and headed for the door and Marinette hurried to catch up. The older woman moved surprisingly quickly when she wanted to.
"I'll have my attorney draw up the lease. I'll call you in a few days when it's done." She called as she opened the door and propping it open with her slippered foot.
Marinette took the cue and walked past her and back out into the cold day. She was so excited. But she remembered something else to ask.
"W-We discussed the possibility of a lease-to-own. Is that still, maybe, still okay?"
Ms. Gelinas shut the solid wood door and secured the multiple locks. "Like I told you before, I'll think about it."
Marinette pulled her bag higher up on her shoulder. "I-I… err… I understand. Thank you."
The older woman turned away without a goodbye and started to shuffle her way home. Leaving Marinette standing before the building with the beginnings of a huge smile on her face.
"Nine hundred?" Marinette probed loudly after her, not caring who heard.
Ms. Geliinas didn't say anything back. But simply gestured over her head with a dull wave.
Marinette beamed. Her hands went to the top of her covered head as she took a few wild steps in a small circle. The shock and awe of what just happened stealing little squeals from her lips. Her heart faintly sung with anticipation.
Staring back at the building, she chewed on her lip at the task before her. But the ideas started flowing almost instantly. And she couldn't wait to get started.
Her phone chimed in her hand, an alert message from a celebrity gossip channel that she followed. She cleared the message away. She'd read it later. Right now, she headed for one of her many jobs. Which had graciously allowed her to be late today for this special appointment.
This job was actually the whole reason she first found the place. It was only a few short blocks away. She'd passed it on accident a dozen times before actually stopping to take a good look at it.
Boots sloshing on the wet ground, Marinette started power walking over there. She barely felt the cold as it bit at her cheeks. She was too excited.
She worked the front of the house at a butcher (boucherie). Not the most glamourous of jobs. But she was good with the customers and the owner was a friend of her father's. Mr. Cantin had fingers as big as the sausages he sold. In a few ways, he reminded Marinette of her father. Although while her father was a big man, he was a softy at heart. Mr. Cantin was just big. His face turned the brightest shade of red when he was angry or embarrassed. He was balding, but refused to shave the remaining hair he had. It stuck out above his ears in little floating wisps.
He liked that Marinette wasn't afraid to be around the products he sold. So, for that reason, he did most of the dirty work. He trusted her enough that she primarily handled ringing up customers and settled the register at the end of her shift. She worked hard and was on time, most of the time. She had also designed a new business logo and had it embroidered and stamped on all the aprons, to-go containers, bags and napkins. She was very good at the homey details that made his old business stay fresh and "hip". His words, not hers.
Marinette pushed open the door and darted inside to help keep out the cold. Stopping her muddy boots on the rubber mat, she looked up and found Mr. Cantin standing stoically behind the counter – the one place he truly hated to be. And his resting expression said that. Quite loudly. He just wasn't a people person.
Nevertheless, the man had managed to tie down the absolutely bubby and outgoing Mrs. Cantin. They had four children, ages two to fourteen. As they say, on the arm of every strong man is an even stronger woman, slowly shaking her head. Or something like that.
Mrs. Cantin had a heavy German accent that got in the way of her speaking clearly when she was excited or angry. And she drank more coffee than a normal person should consume. But it kept her buzzing around like a honey bee. Or, at least, that was what Mr. Cantin called her, when he was in trouble.
She was a woman with a strong stomach and completely without fear. She could, without a care, be cleaning and hacking away at an entire cut of meat while singing an aria of some German opera, bloody hands and all. She was only at the shop when her husband couldn't be. The four kids at home demanding a lot of attention.
Their oldest son, Craig, worked at the shop too. After school, of course. But he was at the "too cool for school" age, and hardly showed much interest beyond his selfies and social media following. Although he did like to pose for disturbingly silly selfies with whole pig's heads and vats of pickled intestine. So, he had a bit of a twisted sense of humor that made Marinette chuckle.
As Marinette lifted up the section of faux countertop to get behind the counter, Mr. Cantin called to her. "Back, Marinette?" He was a man of few words. That was just his personality.
"Yes, sir. Let me just put my stuff down, and I'll be up."
She brushed past him and headed for the tiny and cramped back room that served as an office/employee break room, stripping off her hat and coat as she moved. Mr. Cantin had cleared out a lower cabinet so she could store her purse securely. A row of oblong iron hooks for coats, hats and aprons was on the one empty wall. The rest of the wall space was tightly packed with family photos and framed newspaper articles. It almost looked like a detective's office who was trying to solve a murder.
The shop had recently celebrated its twenty-fifth year of being family owned and operated. It earned them a nice article in the paper and a steady pick up of business. They were a trusted and reputable establishment. Words that every business owner strived to hear.
Marinette grabbed her apron off the wall and headed for the front to relieve Mr. Cantin. Although, before he headed to the back, he did ask. "How did it look?"
Marinette beamed at him. It was the little things that showed he cared. It certainly wasn't a secret from him that she was looking for a place. In fact, Mrs. Cantin had been the one to track down the building's owner.
"Amazing." She said excitedly. "I… I think I'm going to sign the papers and give the deposit."
"Good to hear." And said and he left her alone.
Marinette itched to send a text to Alya and tell her the good news, but the front door opened and she got swept up in a rush of customers.
She worked the rest of the day and got ready to leave for home. It was getting darker later this time of year. And the sky still lit but casting evening shadows.
Home, at the moment, was still in her childhood bedroom of her parent's house. Tom and Sabine never pressured Marinette to move out. Truth be told, they loved having their only daughter around. When she could, Marinette did help them with the bakery. Her parents even gave her a small salary.
The way they saw it, she would either be working for them or wrapped up in another job. Their daughter knew what she was doing – having absorbed most of her baking knowledge from her family pretty much her whole life. She knew things that the casual part-timer just wouldn't know. So, for that, and many other reasons, they paid her for helping them out.
Marinette even tried to give them rent money or at least buy her own groceries. But they refused every bit of it. They knew what Marinette was trying to do with her life. And while they couldn't afford much by way of helping her, this was the least they could do.
Although, Marinette just realized, she'd have to get used to not having homecooked meals every night very soon. Or at least until she could figure out a way to cook in that place.
Walking to the metro, Marinette finally got a chance to text Alya. Although she did not get a response right away. Which only meant Alya was still at work. Alya responded to texts almost immediately. Nino always joked that if he permanently glued her phone to her hand, she'd never notice.
Boarding the crowded metro car, she was fortunate to find an empty seat and settled in. She opened her phone and began to make a list of all the errands she needed to run.
(1) Turn the power on; (2) Turn the water on; (3) Internet; (4) Cable. She scratched that last one albeit reluctantly. Cable was a luxury. Maybe once she started making money. Internet though, that was a necessity. (4) Business license; (5) Insurance; (6) Moving truck; (7) packing supplies.
It was going to be an expensive list.
Sighing to herself, she closed the app and opened the gossip article she had been notified about earlier.
She scanned the words, caring more about the photos. And sure enough, about half way down was a candid paparazzi photo of Adrien Agreste. Looking dapper in his long coat and wind-tossed blonde hair. He had wide sunglasses on, but it was easy to tell that it was him. Never mind the fact that he was a good head and shoulders taller than everyone else around him.
The caption said, Hot hunk alert! Spring came early! Adrien Agreste spotted leaving the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Milan, Italy. Who could those flowers be for?
Marinette hadn't even noticed the small bouquet of white lilies tucked under his arm. Not that she cared about who he was giving flowers to.
She felt herself smile at the photo before continuing her scrolling. While time had indeed passed, and her schoolgirl crush on Adrien seemed to be diminishing, it still wasn't altogether gone. The man was indeed attractive. Heck, half the planet thought so too. He was famous enough now to attract paparazzi on almost every outing.
The fact that she had gone to school with someone so famous was a little crazy to think about. There may have even been a time when they would have called each other friends. Maybe even good friends. But that felt like so long ago.
So she, like so many others, just continued to stalk him from afar. With mild curiosity and fantasizing, she'd admit to that much.
Exiting the metro, she headed for home. Exhaustion suddenly weighing on her body. But it was still early enough to help her parents set up for tomorrows bakes. Prep work, as they called it.
Marinette talked excitedly about the building over dinner. Even though she yawned heavily into her spaghetti. Her parents were beyond happy for her. Promising they would take the day off and help her move in, when she was ready.
By the time Marinette laid down on her bed, it was after 10:00pm. She was showered, but her dark hair was still sopping wet. She just did not have the energy to blow it dry. She'd pull it back into a bun tomorrow. Her phone was charging and its alarm was set for the absurd hour of 5:00am. Her morning shift at a local independent coffee shop started at 6:00.
Tikki sat on the edge of her desk, finishing off a cookie. Marinette felt like she had barely talked to her all day. But if anyone understood what she was going through, it was certainly Tikki.
Even though sleep pulled at her conscious, she rolled over and faced the small creature.
"I'm glad there were no akumas today." She said sleepily.
Tikki wiped her tiny hands together, dusting off any crumbs. "Me too." She said happily.
"It will certainly be easier being Ladybug when I have my own place. No more sneaking out."
Tikki flew over and landed on her pillow. "You'll just have to be careful that no one sees you leaving out of the front door. You won't have a balcony to hide on anymore."
Marinette's eyes drifted closed. "This is true."
Tikki tapped her on the nose and her eyes opened back up, although only half way. "The building is lovely, Marinette. I'm sure you'll be very happy."
"I'm sure we will be." She told the little goddess. "You'll tell me if you're not, ok?"
Tikki's little wings buzzed with happiness. "Oh Marinette. Of course. It's going to be wonderful."
She watched as Marinette smiled dully and then closed her eyes. Sleep grabbed her almost instantly.
A few days later, Marinette found herself standing in the seemingly never-ending line at the City Facilities department. Deposit in hand, she was ready to get the utilities transferred into her name. She was completely zoned out, having barely moved in the past fifteen minutes.
The government building was about to close, and she had pretty much run here. But she'd made it in time to join the last group of people for the day. She had coffee grinds under her fingernails and chocolate on her cheek. But she hadn't noticed the chocolate.
Double shift at the coffee shop had left her with barely enough time to meet with Ms. Gelinas, sign the paperwork in a dozen places, grab the keys and then get downtown.
She had come directly after signing the lease with Ms. Gelinas and her baby-faced attorney. The kid looked younger than her. But she was pleased to see that her rent was only nine hundred, as originally agreed upon. And, Ms. Gelinas seemed more open to the idea of Marinette fixing the place up to her liking. Although, there was no talk of a lease-to-own written anywhere.
Marinette decided to let it go for now. Maybe when she renewed, they could renegotiate the terms. But negotiating had never been one of Marinette's strong suits. She needed Alya. Alya could negotiate her way out of a speeding ticket.
"Miss…?"
Marinette acknowledged someone was speaking to her and blinked a few times, feeling asleep on her feet.
"Excuse me… Miss?" And then a gentle manicured hand on her shoulder made her turn around.
"Hmm?"
"I just love your purse!"
"Oh." Marinette was mildly shocked by the compliment and stumbled over her words. "Oh, thank you."
"Where did you get it?" the woman asked. She was dressed in a professional blouse, pencil skirt and sensible heels. Her makeup careful and precise; highlighting her gently aging beauty. Marinette felt underdressed in her pink jeans, no makeup, and comfy sneakers.
"Oh. I umm… I actually made it." She responded shyly.
"You made that?" The woman remarked. Genuine surprise in her voice.
The line moved slowly and their conversation paused so they could scoot up.
The woman turned and stood a bit closer now, bending down to get a closer look at Marinette's purse. As if somehow in disbelief of the handstitched flowers and vines sewn on the soft suede. The chunky fastener at the top hid the zipper that led into the main compartment.
Marinette turned it in her hand to give her a better view. Tikki was in that purse, so she didn't want to just hand it over for a closer inspection.
"I'm in love the details." The woman complimented. "It must have taken you a long time."
"Thank you. I've actually made a few like this. I messed up a little bit on the back panel… here." She turned it over to point out a wayward line of stitching. Her sewing machine had gotten away from her a bit. However, if she hadn't pointed it out, no one would have ever known it even existed.
The line moved again and Marinette was almost next to the window.
Their polite conversation drifted to a halt, and Marinette went back to her own thoughts. She shifted the folder of hefty lease paperwork in her other arm.
She wanted to go back there straight after this. She was dying to see the place again. Get a really good look at it now that she had the keys. And then, she could actually start moving in. As soon as she got a break in her work schedule.
Trying to recall her schedule from memory, she thought maybe that she had next Wednesday off. Or maybe it was just the afternoon? She'd have to look at her phone, she couldn't remember.
The sudden realization of the previous conversation she had just had almost knocked her over. She'd have to get used to doing this. Branding herself and her fashion like this was the best way to draw up business. Shifting the items in her arms, she rummaged in her purse for one of her newly minted business cards. Tikki pushed one to her and gave her a playful wink.
"Before I forget. Umm, lets see… it's here somewhere. Oh. Right. Here, my card." As she handed it to the woman behind her.
"Next." Called the teller.
As woman's eyes scanning the card, they lit up in excitement. "Oh. How wonderful. Do you have a boutique nearby?"
"Umm…" Marinette felt a bit of awkwardness wash over her. Not quite sure how to answer that question.
"Next." Called the teller again. Marinette shuffled forward, not wanting to leave the question unanswered. But not sure how to answer exactly.
"Well…" she fumbled.
"Next please." The teller called again. Much louder this time and with irritation gathering in their voice. It was the end of the day, and they wanted to go home.
Marinette flashed the woman a professional smile. And finally opted for the truth.
"I hope to really soon. Follow me on my socials for updates on when I have my grand opening."
The woman smiled brightly and nodded her head. She was genuinely interested in this young woman's products, and liked that she had such a strong sense of purpose and entrepreneurship. Although, she was either incredibly naïve to this undertaking, or blindly zealous. Ah, youth. So full of hope.
Marinette scurried towards the window filled with a new lighthearted sense of excitement that glowed from her face as she put the utilities of the building in her name.
As soon as Marinette got off the metro and headed for her new building, she called Alya, who answered on the first ring.
"Alya, I did it. I signed the paperwork on the building."
"That's awesome. Congrats, girl." Alya said. She then said something but it was muffled. Almost as if her hand was covering the speaker and she was speaking to someone else.
"Alya?" Marinette asked.
When she didn't answer, Marinette repeated her name and then asked. "Are you at work still?"
"No." she replied quickly, but her voice was distant and distracted.
After a few seconds of silence, but with constant background noise, Alya asked. "Where are you?"
"I'm on my way there now with the keys." Marinette said, as she turned the corner and headed down the street where her building was.
Alya's voice shifted into a warm tone. "Oh, I know."
"What? You do?"
"Haha, Yep."
Marinette looked up and both Alya and Nino were standing on the sidewalk in front of her new building. Bundled up in the cold, but grinning from ear to ear. Marinette hung up her phone and rushed towards them. So unbelievably surprised that she thought she would cry. In fact, she did cry.
Alya hugged her and told her to stop, but that only made her cry more.
"You're a hot mess, girl." Alya teased her.
"Takes one to know one." Nino remarked dryly. Alya shot him a look and Marinette laughed through her tears.
"Can we go inside?" Alya asked. "It's freezing out here."
"You mean there's an inside?" Nino teased.
She glared at him, balling her hand into a fist and shaking it at him.
"Boy, I swear. You're crusin' for a bruisin'. Big time."
Could a casual threat somehow also sound like true love? Leave it to Alya and Nino to find that middle ground.
Marinette wiped her chilly tears away, still laughing at her friends, and fished the key out of her pocket. She took a few steps and headed for the door.
"Wait. Wait… Hold up." Alya interrupted her by pushing her back away from the door.
Together, she and Nino retrieved and stretched a piece of wide red ribbon out in front of the door, and handed a pair of scissors to Marinette
"Let's make this thing official."
Marinette held the scissors in her hand, and felt her world narrow and culminate into this one beautiful moment. Her teary eyes wavered between her friend's smiling faces. So thankful to them for this. She sniffed back her dripping nose and let out a shaky, emotional breath as she snipped the ribbon in half.
"I christen thee: Marinette Dupain-Chang Designs, Boutique, and Fashions." Alya cheered.
"The name needs work." Nino remarked dryly.
Alya threw her piece of ribbon at him. "You need work."
Marinette wiped her tears away for what felt like the hundredth time, and couldn't stop herself from smiling as she stepped forward and unlocked the door to her business. Whatever the name ended up becoming.
Author's Note: Hello to all you lovely people. I'm really excited to be working on new content. Although, never fear, my other story will still be updated. But I just had to get the first chapter posted. Please let me know what you think. I love love love reading your comments. Please say Hi to me and spread the love. We are all dealing with difficult issues right now. I know it is so hard to stay positive and not be bored. We are all going through it. Me included. I've been in such a sluggish funk that I've barely wanted to do the things I enjoy, like write. I guess what I'm trying to say is... Please be kind to one another and take time for yourselves. Stay healthy folks.