Hey y'all. This isn't edited lol I'll come back later and do that. #rereadlaterforbetterquality

Nothing too bad in this chapter, there's actually more fluff in here than i normally write.

DISCLAIMER: no I don't own Miraculous: Tales of bugaboo and bananoir, I'm not Thomas Astruc

Enjoy!

UPDATE: I came back to this and fixed a few things, such as — Alya texted them while at the store, the carrot cake was NOT left to burn in the oven, and a few technical errors like repetitions, misspellings, and whatnot lol. Thanks for the sweet reviews regardless of these mistakes, ily all.


Adrien lets out a long yawn, shaking his head.

"We need to go to my house," he says firmly.

Marinette nods, "We do, but you should take a nap. Then we'll go."

Instead of protesting, Adrien just nods.

"Alright guys, let's head up to my room. You can crash on my bed, kitty."

"Thanks, m'lady," Adrien mutters.

After the two superheroes stand up from the couch, the other couple follows them up to Marinette's room. Immediately upon entering, Adrien climbs up the ladder to his girlfriend's bed and lays down.

Alya raises a teasing eyebrow at this action, then giggles.

"You've got a keeper, girl," she whispers to her best friend.

Marinette giggles in response, looking up at the figure curled up on her bed.

"Dude, how did this happen?" Nino asks quietly.

"How did what happen?"

He pushes his arms out to her.

"You two! Together! I've been trying to get it through his head that he likes you and all of a sudden, you dudes are like this," he crosses his pointer finger and middle finger.

Her face flushes.

"It was right after we defeated Hawkmoth. He was already transformed, and oddly enough he was stopped outside of my bakery. He looked like he was catching his breath. Anyway, he just straight-up asked if he could know who I am. So I brought him to the bakery, up to my room, and called my dad 'dad' and said that he has to stay with 'us' instead of stay with 'you guys' so he figured it out. And so did my parents. It was like killing three birds with one stone, really.

"So, once he figured it out, he asked why I really had pictures of him all over my room. It was easier than I thought it would be, actually — confessing that I've had a crush on him since freshman year. And we both knew that he loved Ladybug already, so… I don't know, we just ended up kissing. Only really confirmed that we're 'together' yesterday."

After she's finished explaining, she takes in her friends' expressions. Alya has a huge grin on her face and Nino can't keep the smirk off of his'. Then Alya gasps.

"We can go on double dates now!"

Marinette flinches at her volume.

"Shhh!" Plagg flies in front of her, "Let my kid sleep!"

"Thanks, Plagg," she hears Adrien mumble, and she nearly faints on the spot.

Why does his groggy voice have to be so sexy?

"Alright, well. Nino and I gotta head back to school, but we'll come back here after. Then we can figure out how to handle this whole situation," Alya says.

"Don't feel obligated to help, really!"

"We want to!" She turns to her boyfriend with a stern glare. "Right, Nino?"

He nods vigorously.

Marinette sighs, agreeing.

Once her two friends are out of earshot, she groans and climbs into bed with Adrien. She hears him snoring and smiles, glad that he's finally getting some rest. School should be over in about two hours, and that should be good for him.

A yawn escapes her throat.

Maybe she should take a nap, too. There's a lot she needs to do later. A nap won't hurt. Especially not when she's snuggled up with the boy she loves.

Closing her eyes, she lets herself fall into a shallow slumber.


Forty-five minutes later, she wakes up to the sound of knocking on her bedroom door, and her name being called.

Rubbing her eyes, she pulls herself away from her still-sleeping kitty and steps down her ladder.

"Who is it?" She asks, walking closer to her trap door and crouching down next to it.

"It's maman, is Adrien still asleep?"

"Yeah, he is. Give me a few minutes and I'll be right down," she replies.

"Alright, sweetie. Take your time."

With that, she stands up and rubs her eyes once again.

'Maybe I should change.'

After double-checking that her partner is still asleep, she takes off her shirt, leaving her in only a bra and her pink jeans. She picks out a yellow shirt that has a white flower embroidered right over the heart, and slips it over her head. Then she pulls down her jeans, deciding that some simple blue jeans would work perfectly with this shirt! She picks out boot-cut jeans, which flare out at the bottom, then slides them on.

Then she turns to look at herself in the mirror, frowning when she sees that her pigtails have become uneven and the hair surrounding it has frizzed out quite a bit. Picking up her hairbrush, she pulls out the hair ties that were keeping her hairstyle intact and sets them on the counter. Her lips roll in as she focuses on brushing out the tangles.

A few minutes later, she walks away from her vanity with a smile of satisfaction on her face. She no longer feels like a mess, and for that, she is thankful.

Risking one last glance at Adrien, she opens her hatch and makes her way down the ladder leading to the living room. She spots her mother cutting a carrot in the kitchen and skips over to her.

"Hey, maman!" She plants a small kiss on her cheek. "Whatcha' makin'?"

Sabine smiles at her daughter's giddiness before answering.

"Carrot cake. Your father is working the bakery right now. Wanna help?"

Marinette nods happily, then notices that she hasn't taken out the baking powder yet, so she walks over to the spice counter to grab it.

"So…" Sabine starts, eyeing the other bluenette in the room.

She hums, setting the baking powder in front of her mother. "Yes?"

"I'm going to head to the store after I put this in the oven, and papa will finish it up. I want to get Adrien some new clothes without his father's brand logo on it. Would he like to come with?"

Marinette tilts her head, thinking about the blonde in her room.

"I'm not sure. He's still so weirded out by you guys being so nice to him."

This makes Sabine's heart ache, but she tries not to let it show.

"Well, tell him to deal with it. What size is he? In shirts and pants? Oh, and I don't expect you to know this but… underwear?" She asks sheepishly.

She pretends she doesn't notice Marinette blush deeply.

"No idea about the underwear," the shorter bluenette mutters, "but he's a size small in shirts and probably… I don't know guy sizes, but… he's pretty skinny. Maybe just get some sweatpants? Then we'll go to the store another time and look for jeans? Me, Alya, Nino, and him were all going to head back to his house and get anything else he needs. Maybe today, maybe not; we're gonna wait and see how he feels."

She doesn't mention the fact that his mother is in the basement and possibly still alive, and that there's a missing Peacock miraculous they need or else things could get real messy. She's not sure what her mother would think about any of that.

Although, she reasons, she'll find out eventually.

Sabine nods, thinking about what else the boy may need. She's so lost in her thoughts that she doesn't even realize she finished cutting the carrot a while ago; the pieces were so diced that she won't even have to put them in the processor anymore.

"Honey, could you grab a bowl and measuring cup? I wasn't prepared at all," she laughs with a shake of her head. "I've been so caught up with making sure Adrien feels at home that I'm forgetting how to bake! My profession!"

Marinette laughs along with her mother, and they spend the next minutes preparing the carrot cake batter in silence.

Once the batter is finished and the oven has been set to preheat at the desired heat, the two ladies in the room start talking again.

"Maman?"

"Yes?"

She takes a deep breath, "Do you know any good lawyers?"

Sabine thinks for a moment.

"No, but Mayor Bourgeois might. His daughter and Adrien have been friends since childhood, right? I'm sure that he would be willing to help. He has a lot of contacts, you know?"

Marinette watches in awe as her mother's eyes light up.

"He comes in every Friday to pick up sweets for his collègues! That's tomorrow! I'll ask him, then."

The young bluenette nods, grateful that her mother knows who to ask about certain things. She's also so touched that she cares so much about the blonde; she's acting as if Adrien is her own son. And he needs a good mother figure in his life; she assumes that he considered Nathalie a mother figure, but now that there's speculation of her villainous secret identity... she's not so sure the Agreste secretary will keep that title.

Another question comes to mind.

"I told Alya and Nino everything, but I left out the part about Adrien's dad hitting him and stuff. Then again, Adrien hasn't talked about it since he mentioned it yesterday. Um… Is it possible to add that to Mr. Agreste's list of charges? You know, like… neglect, abuse?"

Her mother shakes her head, sighing exasperatedly.

"One step at a time, Marinette. That's something you would ask the lawyer, and I'm sure that Adrien would have to be the one to press charges, since he's the victim."

Marinette nods thoughtfully.

"Also," Sabine adds, "you will have to testify as a witness for the unmasking of Hawkmoth, and I'm not so sure you will be able to do that without revealing your identity."

The younger bluenette scrunches up her eyebrows, shaking her head.

"But I'll just testify as Ladybug!"

"Alright," Sabine nods, "and what about Adrien? He's already getting a whole bunch of hate for simply being related to Hawkmoth. I think it will be easier on him, at least, if he reveals himself as Chat Noir. Why would he willingly fight against his father if he knew anything?"

That was exactly Adrien's argument, Marinette remembers.

Finally, she lets her head drop and she nods.

"You're right," she lifts her head. "And if Adrien is going to reveal his identity, I won't let him do it alone."

Marinette looks back at her mother with gratitude, then runs around the corner of the counter to engulf her in a hug.

"Thank you, maman. Love you!"

Then she releases from the embrace and runs back up to her room.

When she enters, she's surprised to see Adrien still asleep. She frowns.

Okay, he should not be sleeping this much.

After she exhales slowly, she shakes him awake.

"Adrien?" She whispers.

No response. She tries again.

"Chaton?"

Nothing. She leans in closer to his ear, about to whisper his name again, when she gets a sudden burst of confidence.

Opening her mouth to a small gape, she huffs out a slow, hot breath. He squirms, but doesn't show any sign of waking up. Feeling bold, she hovers her teeth over his cartilage and bites down softly.

Adrien wakes to this sensation, gasping lowly. The sensation stops for a moment, to which he groans.

"Keep going," he mumbles.

A giggle blesses his ears and then the sensation is back. He allows a goofy smile to grace his lips before opening his eyes and looking at the beauty sitting above him.

"Hi," he greets simply.

Another giggle, and he nearly melts.

"Hi, sleepyhead. Wanna head to the store with my mom and I? We need to get a few things."

He blinks slowly at her, just like a cat in love, and then he nods. She grins in response.

"Okay! Then get out of bed, kitty! We need to get back before Nino and Alya get here," she says, pulling away from him and stepping down the ladder.

"Alright," he mutters, frowning at the loss of warmth.


A few minutes later, Adrien is ready, and they set off to the store (although he has no idea that the shopping trip is for him—but that's a problem for when they arrive).

In the backseat of the car, Marinette holds onto Adrien's arm.

"If you're still tired, you can lean on me..." she whispers.

He shrugs before responding, "Thanks, but I think I slept enough."

Marinette wants to believe he did, too. But in reality, he only got an hour of sleep before life got in the way again—and after a panic attack like that...

Nevertheless, she decides that his available, comfortable shoulder is a perfect parking space for her head. She's still tired, as well, so what's a more perfect opportunity to cuddle with her boyfriend?

…And who followed her actions shortly afterwards? The boy himself; the same boy that swore he wasn't tired, leaned his head onto hers' only a couple minutes later.

She smirks, having known that he'd give in eventually.

The ride to the nearest department store was quiet and calming for Sabine and the two tired passengers. She pulled into a parking space, then looked at the teenagers in the rear-view mirror. Her heart warms at the sight, and she takes a moment of admiration.

I can't believe my daughter has been out fighting akumas as her night job… She shakes her head. And poor Adrien, he must have been so tired adding that onto his daily strenuous activities. These kids deserve to rest.

But alas, the store closes in three hours and they have an abundance of clothes and toiletries to get. So she reluctantly lets them know that they have arrived.

"Alright, kids. We're here."

Sabine observes the couple as they slowly pull away from each other. Adrien yawns, rubbing his eyes, while Marinette stretches her arms.

Then the group makes their way into the store, with a still-exhausted Adrien stumbling into his girlfriend as they walk through the automatic sliding doors. Once the feeling of cold air hits him, he shivers and grabs Marinette's hand.

He leans in to whisper in her ear, "So, what are we getting here?"

She gives him a glance before staring forward again. "This is all for you, kitty."

Without her eyes on him, she can imagine his peridot eyes growing wide as he looks around the store in wonder. She can just barely hear him mutter a small, "What?" and she doesn't even try to hide her smile.

Her mother confidently heads in a specific direction and the young couple follows her wordlessly. They attempt to dodge all of the fans who notice the model, and he tries his best to look unaffected. Luckily, no one approaches him, but he's still a bundle of nerves. When they arrive to the men's section, she stops abruptly and turns to them.

"Adrien," she keeps her voice low as to not attract attention, "I understand that you being associated with the Gabriel brand isn't what you want right now. And since all of the clothing you own is from the company, I decided that you should have the opportunity to shop for whatever you want. Whatever looks cool, suits you, etcetera."

Adrien opens his mouth to protest, but Sabine interrupts.

"Please do NOT worry about the money. You have always been so caring and kind towards my daughter and all of your classmates, even protecting them when need be," she winks, causing a red tint to appear on the blonde's cheeks.

"Also," she presses, "You are going through a lot right now, and especially considering the circumstances, I have no problem providing for you."

"But— You really don't have—"

Raising a hand to cease his words, Sabine shakes her head, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"You are not a charity case, I am simply doing this because I want to. Now, go take a look around and let me know what you want. We are getting you a whole new wardrobe here, so don't be picky. Okay?"

She waits until he nods, then claps her hands together once.

"Alright, go!"

It's a delayed reaction; Adrien stands in the middle of two clothes racks, looking back and forth between them for a moment, before he starts moving.

He slowly inspects each article of clothing, from the details to the mistakes (he may have noticed a few stains here and there, but he kept quiet). He finds things he's interested in, in his size no less, but he hesitates before picking them up. With occasional fashion pointers from a certain blue-haired aspiring designer, he finally starts to understand the process a bit better. Soon enough, he and Marinette have their hands full of clothing.

Fortunately, Sabine walks over to them at the right time, with her own clothing choices in her arms, and a huge smile on her face.

"Looks like we need a cart."


Two and a half hours later, the group walks back to the car with three bags each in their hands, tired as all can be. Dropping the bags in the trunk, Marinette groans.

"I'm so tiiiiirreeeed," she drags out.

Adrien chuckles, walking around Sabine to give her a small hug. "We can cuddle later, okay?"

Alya had texted while they were in the store, letting the superheroes know that Nino's mother had invited her over for dinner, and to wish them good luck on their findings. So that definitely meant that Marinette could take Adrien up on his offer later.

She nods into his chest right before he pulls away and turns to face her mother.

He huffs out a breath, catching her attention. She rotates on her feet and offers him a grin. He smiles at her the best he can, then opens his mouth to speak.

"I don't know how to express my gratitude. Just… thank you," he glowed.

It's true. He doesn't know how she knew that he didn't want to wear his father's clothes, as that would be supporting him, but he's so grateful that she did. He's so thankful for her generosity, and he truly does not know how to express it. Just being in the store with her, trying on clothes with Mari and Sabine giving feedback, and with her offering suggestions as they shop… it makes him remember what it's like to have a mom. In fact, her kindness and sweet smile reminds him of his own mother. Although it hurts to think about her, Sabine is filling that hole in his heart slowly but surely. And he will be eternally grateful for her.

She brings him into a tight hug.

"Don't mention it. And you always have a home with us, sweetie. Remember that. You're family."

Her final words bring tears to his eyes, and he stuffs his face into her shoulder. He will not be caught crying outside of the Le Bon Marché. No. But hearing those words strikes him in the right spot — he hasn't felt like part of a family in so long.

Someone considers me family. I have a home. That's more than I had before.

Suddenly, the smell of stinky cheese in his front pocket is has dissipated, and the hole in his heart is slowly being filled. He hasn't felt this loved in years, and it's another thing to add to his "grateful-for-Sabine-and-here's-why" list.

When they pull apart, she gives him a small kiss on his forehead, letting her lips linger there for a moment. Then she ruffles his hair, watching as he smiles without teeth and wipes his eyes of tears.

"Time to go back home!"

The group—no, family, Adrien muses—is back home (Home. It's going to take a while for him to get used to these new concepts) in no time. Marinette helps carry as many bags as she can up the stairs and into the living room, with Adrien following. Unceremoniously, they drop the bags on the floor in one corner of the room. He turns to her with a smile.

"I can't wait to wear the yellow graphic tee," he effuses.

She stifles a giggle, rolling her eyes and glaring playfully at him.

"Not any of the black stuff? I think my choices fit you well," she turns her nose up at him.

Adrien chuckles, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. Her eyebrows raise at this motion, and he responds by sending her one of his infamous Chat smirks.

"Black fits me well, hmm?" He purrs, "Did you check meowt as M'lady, bugaboo?"

She softly smacks his chest before wrapping an arm around his neck.

"Shut up."

He laughs at this, now getting a kick out of her reactions when he puns, and Marinette can't help but giggle too. Embarrassed (she's not sure why), she stuffs her face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent.

She really got the best of both worlds.

They are interrupted by Sabine walking into the room with the remaining bags. They pull away from each other as she drops the bags on the floor next to them. She exhales sharply, resting her hands on her hips.

"Okay, you two. I overheard you guys talking with Alya and Nino about going over to the mansion to get the rest of your belongings, Adrien," she turns to him, "but Tom is out right now and he called me to let me know that he just drove past it and there's police cars surrounding it. He stopped and talked to one of them, saying that you're staying with us and need to get some of your things, and the officer said that they'll let you in if you go. So it's up to you if you want to deal with the police right now, Adrien. I'm aware you were already questioned, but they are doing a search of the house. Better to get your things now rather than later. Let me drive you up there, alright?"

"Um… Why didn't they do the search yesterday? When he was arrested?"

Sabine nods, "Before they left the bakery after your questioning, we asked them if they could postpone it — since you were in no place to go back for your belongings yet. We figured you would be ready now, is that alright?"

Adrien sighs, nodding. Marinette grabs a hold of his hand, giving it a squeeze.

"I would go, but I don't think I'm allowed," the short bluenette pouts.

He shrugs, pecking her cheek and pulling his hand away from hers'.

"It's okay, Princess. I'll be fine."

"Let's go then!" Sabine exclaims, turning around and walking downstairs.

Marinette tilts her head to get a better view of his face.

"You sure you can go alone? How much stuff are you getting?"

"I'm sure, and there's not much that I want. I'm not really attached to anything in there; most of it was just gifts from my dad to make up for not being there."

Rolling his eyes, he continues, "Just a rich man's way of bribing me into doing his bidding."

She frowns.

"But," he lightens up, "I'm taking as much of my mom's stuff as I can. And I am GOING to get that Miraculous."

His determination encourages hers', and she nods enthusiastically.

"Yes! You got this, baby!"

His heart picks up at the endearment and he can't help the smile that forms. The way the vowels and consonants roll off her lips is synonymous to poetry, and he finds himself wishing to hear it again and again. For the rest of his life.

Reluctantly, he walks away from her, turning to walk backwards for just a moment. He lifts two fingers up to his temple, and with a sly smile, he salutes.

"Bug out!"

He turns and runs down the stairs, giggling along the way. Marinette is left gaping at where he once was, while Tikki phases out of her purse and floats in next to her chosen's face.

"Did he just MOCK me?" She asks incredulously.

"He sure did, Marinette."

She shakes her head before laughing, turning to face the clothes and then scrunching her eyebrows together.

"We have a lot of work to do, Tikki."


Adrien gulps as Sabine pulls the car up to the mansion. He looks at the multitude of police cars blocking off the premises, heart beating out of his chest. He's not sure why he's so nervous; besides the fact that just the day before, he had been living in the same house as his enemy.

Seeing his house marked as a crime scene is simply… unimaginable. He can't wrap his head around it.

"Honey, I'm going to drop you off here and you'll drive back with Tom. He's talking to one of the officers right over there," Sabine points out the window.

He follows her finger until it reaches a destination, finding Tom at the end of it. Then he nods.

The car stops, and he steps out of it, giving the kind woman a wave. She drives off and he turns around, facing the house that he's been imprisoned in his whole life.

I'm finally free, but at what cost? He wonders.

"Hey, Adrien!" Tom waves him over.

He hesitates, just as a gruffly voice is heard from under his over-shirt.

"I can feel your heartbeat, kid. Calm down, it'll be fine!" Plagg insists.

Adrien takes a deep breath before muttering a "Thanks, Plagg," and walking over to Tom and the officer.

"Hello, sir. Adrien Agreste?" The officer inquired.

Adrien nods.

"Hi, my name is Officer Durand. Tom here wanted me to let you in and get your personal belongings."

He nods again.

The officer's cheery demeanor shifts, and the once neutral look on his face turns into one of pity.

"I should let you know that we found a secret lair below the house — a basement, if you will — and there was a butterfly garden, adjacent to the lair where Hawkmoth sent out akumas."

The young model winces, knowing what's coming next.

"We found," Officer Durand sighs and starts again, "We found your mother's body in a clear coffin, in this garden."

Adrien almost wishes this was a surprise. Almost. But it wasn't, so he feigns shock.

Officer Durand continues, "When we came across her, we inspected her body and made sure there was nothing indicating that Hawkmoth had hurt her. Luckily, we found nothing."

It's still weird having people refer to his father has Hawkmoth, but it makes sense. No one is calling him by his real name because they have lost all respect for him. He's very close to doing the same.

He thinks he'll stick with "monster" for now. There's no way he's calling him "father" any time soon; not with the way he has treated him and the majority of Paris for three years.

"But," Durand says, "Once we took her out of the coffin, her pulse stopped. We weren't aware that she was even alive; it seems as though Hawkmoth kept her in a suspended state, with the temperature of the coffin. Or magic. Although that's something we will have to look into.

"I'm so sorry, Adrien, but your mother was long gone. We have already transported her to the morgue."

The apologetic tone in his voice did nothing for Adrien, as tears still welled up in his eyes. His father's words loop around in his head.

"My wife is not dead! She is in a suspended state."

Liar. LIAR.

He can barely control his anger, but he manages to keep his tears (and his fists) at bay. He needs to punch something, but knows it's not the officer's fault and it would't be right to punch him. So he refrains.

"Any negative action you take will end up on the tabloids. We are Agrestes. We are perfect. We do not involve ourselves with scandals, or else the company will fail. Do not disappoint me, Adrien."

A bitter laugh escapes his throat.

Hypocrite.

"Adrien?" A voice pulls him out of his thoughts.

He looks up to see Tom staring at him worriedly, so he flashes him a small smile, sniffling.

"May I go retrieve my things?"

Polite.

Proper.

Obedient.

Rich.

That's the way he was raised. That's the wall he was forced to put up since the second he was able to be brainwashed. It's the façade he puts on every day of his life — always completed with a smile.

"You can," Durand approves, "I'll join you."

It wasn't as calm as he thought it'd be; packing up his valuables. Initially, he thought that he would have the same peace and quiet that he always did while in his unnecessarily large room. But instead, there were cops roaming all over the mansion, so he could hear their constant babbling in the background. Officer Durand noticed the boy's discomfort, so he remained as silent as he could.

He wasn't allowed much time, either, so he felt quite rushed. Yet, he still walked out of his house with two boxes full of his (but mostly his mother's) possessions. And no, he did not forget the Grimoire.

But he couldn't find the Peacock miraculous. He looked everywhere; in the safe, every nook and cranny of Hawkmoth's lair, the secret garden, both Nathalie and Fath—Hawkmoth's offices.

Nothing.

His lady is going to be so mad at him. However, he is simply frustrated (among many other emotions).

Just where could it be?

With a foggy mind, he and Officer Durand load up Mr. Dupain's trunk with the two boxes, and he doesn't say a word. But he feels like he's forgetting something…

On the ride back to the bakery, he stares out the window silently. He is racking his brain, trying to figure out how to inform his girlfriend that the missing miraculous is still nowhere to be found, when he feels Plagg shift in his over-shirt.

"Hey kid, where's the big man that always gave me cheese?"

Adrien's eye widen. He had completely forgotten about The Gorilla, and he hadn't seen him or Nathalie around when inside the house.

Fortunately, Tom beats him to it. Which is good; Adrien would have not known how to answer.

"The police took Nathalie and Gorilla in for questioning."

"That would explain my lack of camembert," Plagg says, still hiding in his shirt.

Adrien can imagine him crossing his little arms and turning his nose up at him, waiting defiantly until he gets his stinky cheese. He nearly laughs at the thought.

Gently patting the area where Plagg is hiding, he raises an eyebrow.

"Plagg, you can come out. The car has tinted windows and Mr. Dupain—"

"Tom," he interjects firmly, eyeing the young boy in the mirror.

"Um, Tom, knows about you now."

There's silence for a moment before a small huff is heard.

"I'm good in here. Finishing up my cheese."

Tom lets out a laugh.

"All he ever thinks about his cheese, huh?" He directs the question at Adrien.

"He thinks with his stomach."

"Hey!" A small black creature, holding a very (okay, very very very) small piece of camembert (basically a crumb to Adrien), phases out of his shirt and floats in between the two. "Don't think I can't hear you!"

The nighttime Chat Noir rolls his eyes and shakes his head, while Tom laughs again.

"He's like a pet."

"I know. Demands food. Follows me around. Never shuts up."

"Kid, you're not that easy to take care of either. When I was created centuries ago, I was given one task: to provide little idiots with powers that can destroy the world and see where it goes. I wasn't made to be a babysitter, but fathers like yours come along and bam, you're my responsibility."

Plagg huffs and crosses his arms, lifting his nose up and turning away from his chosen (yep, Adrien imagined it perfectly).

"The least you could do is repay me with cheese. Especially camembert!"

Adrien swears the kwami has heart eyes whenever he mentions his favorite cheese. But he might just be crazy. He offers him a smile.

"Of course. And you have been my rock these past few years, so thank you."

"Don't mention it."

With that, Plagg goes back to eating his cheese, this time not caring who watches him.

A comfortable silence falls over the car. Tom drives while Adrien ponders.

If I couldn't find it in my house, then Nathalie has it. There's no way she doesn't. If she really is Mayura, she must have it with her at all times.

Wait, he frowns. We haven't seen her in a long time. Hawkmoth must have it.

Shit.

"Tom, I forgot to ask the police something."

Said man glances at Adrien in the rearview mirror and raises an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"Did you happen to ask about a certain Peacock brooch?"

"Um… no. Is that another miraculous?"

Adrien nods miserably, bringing his hands up to rub his eyes.

"I think fath—Gabriel has it."

Tom frowns at how the boy addressed his father, before thinking of a solution.

"You could call the police station and ask for anything your father had on him when they took him in," he offers.

Blonde hair bounces in the backseat as the model nods.

"That would work."


Soon enough, they arrive back home. Shortly following the box drop-off in the corner of the living room, Adrien heads up the stairs to greet his girlfriend while Tom joins his wife in the kitchen.

The model finds himself in the middle of Marinette's room, staring in awe as she hangs up garment after garment in her closet. She turns to him, smiling wide.

"Hi!" She chirps.

"Hi."

"So, did you find it?"

Nerves crawl up his spine. He clears his throat.

"No. I looked everywhere, very very thoroughly, and I couldn't find it. I'm sorry, M'lady."

She watches as he hangs his head low, obviously feeling guilty for something he shOULD NOT BE GUILTY ABOUT.

This boy needs therapy, she realizes.

"Why are you apologizing? It's okay. We'll find it," she places a hand on his arm in hopes of some comfort.

He brings his head up and peers at her with hopeful green eyes. She wishes that she didn't see disbelief in there, as well.

"Are you sure? I really thought you'd be upset."

She shakes her head. Fucking Gabriel Agreste, making this wonderful boy feel like everything is his fault.

"Definitely not. We still have to check with Nathalie, maybe the Gorilla, and if all else fails…"

His eyes drop to her pigtails.

"…Gabriel."

Marinette watches as he nods slowly, and feels her heart break. "Come here."

She wraps her arms around his waist, making sure to give him a tight squeeze. Reluctantly, his arms find his way around her shoulders, returning the gesture. He inhales the scent of blueberries and sighs. Now he doesn't want to let go. Ever.

All too soon, they pull away. He pouts at her. She sends him a questioning look.

"More huggie."

He stretches his arms out in front of him and makes grabbing gestures with his hands, imitating a child wanting to be picked up. She rolls her eyes and pulls him into her again. Then she hears the same sigh as before and shakes her head.

"You would stay here forever if you could, huh?"

She feels him nod and stuff his face into her shoulder, to which she smiles and subsequently stuffs her face into his chest.

She sniffs. Mmm. Lavender. Taking into consideration the fact that her face is hidden, she allows a dopey grin and exhales contentedly.

Eventually, they pull away, and Marinette goes back to working on hanging up his clothes.

"Oh, Mari?"

She hums.

"Nathalie can't have it. If she is Mayura, she's retired. Hawkmoth has been using it lately, remember?"

The brunette nods.

"Well yes, but it doesn't hurt to check."

"Okay, I'll ask her if we don't find it when we go to the police station tomorrow."

She lifts her eyebrows.

"We're going to the—?"

"No, sorry, your dad is taking me. I'm gonna ask for father— ugh — Hawkmoth's belongings. You know, the stuff he had on him? He might've had it in his pocket or something."

Marinette thinks.

"Okay," she starts, dragging out the Y. "But there were two hours in between when we left him and his arrest. He could've used it. No, he would have used it."

Adrien rolls his lips in, shifting weight on his other foot.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But, the Gorilla? He can't have it. Unless Nathalie gave it to him, which I find highly unlikely."

She shakes her head, agreeing.

"How 'bout you stop worrying for a bit?" Marinette suggests. She leans up closer to him and sniffs his neck, shuddering. "And take a shower. Use some of that new stuff we just got; the soap, shampoo? Maybe brush your teeth while you're at it?"

Adrien frowns.

"Do I really smell that bad?"

"No, no! You're a bit stinky, although part of it might just be the Camembert in your inner pocket."

He tilts in his head and nods in agreement.

The bluenette continues, "I just want you to take care of yourself, minou. You haven't showered or anything since you got here. Trust me, you'll feel so much better when you get out. And we have lotion in there, too."

Said minou smiles, "Alright, fine. Could you show me the water pressure?"

And show him the waster pressure she did. Before she knows it, she is back alone in her bedroom, left to ponder in silence. Well, she wishes it were quiet, but the two magical creatures floating all over her room were bickering quite loudly. It was getting on her nerves.

"Guys, please. Have fun, by all means. But I kind of want some quiet right now," she begs.

Plagg and Tikki share a look.

"We can go inside the miracle box for a bit, if you want…" Plagg proposed.

Marinette rolls her lips in. "I mean, if you want to see your friends then go ahead. But I don't know when I'll need you, so… Wanna stay in the guest room?"

The black kwami floats over to her.

"There's a GUEST room and you're having him sleep on the COUCH?!"

"Shhhh!" She urges him to be quiet with a finger over her lips, looking towards the bathroom door.

The water's still running; he can't hear. Phew.

"Yes, Plagg. Only temporarily, though. My mom texted me earlier, saying that she's planning on clearing it out this weekend. She said not to say anything. Its supposed to be a surprise, so for the love of camembert, Plagg. DON'T say anything," she pleads sternly.

Her voice is low but her demand is clear. Both the kwamis nod.

The water shuts off.

Marinette lets out a sigh of relief right as her boyfriend's voice sounds through the wood.

"Hey, Mari?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's that lotion?"

She has to bite her lip to suppress a smile. Must be the model in him.

"Under the sink, far right. There's a basket with a whole bunch of them."

Inside the bathroom, Adrien hesitates. His hand hovers over the basket. It's dark under the sink; there's no way he can see what he's pulling out.

"Um, I found the basket. Which one should I use?"

"Pick anything!"

His heart rate speeds up as he pulls out the basket and looks at the options. He pulls out each and every bottle, reading the labels, checking the ingredients, and giving them a good sniff. Five minutes pass and he's still not sure.

He is… overwhelmed… to say the least. There's so many choices.

Choices. He was never presented many of those. Growing up, all his clothes, food, and activities were set upon him by someone else. Forced friendships and networking was all he knew; keeping a stoic face and accepting what was given to him is a learned behavior. But being given a set of options and having the ability to pick for himself? He's not so used to the concept.

The longer he stays with the Dupain-Chengs, he knows that foreign concepts will come up every day. He has already encountered plenty, and it's barely been two days. There is a lot of adjusting; if someone were to question his decisiveness, he would simply tell them to choose for him. It's his normal. He is not used to this new normal and it will take a while. He's starting to realize that now.

Another realization, he hasn't moisturized yet. He clears his throat, closes his eyes, and reaches for a random bottle. Luck of the draw.

He looks down at the floor, then to the toilet seat, then to the edge of the tub, and back to the bottle. Where would he do this? What position would he get into without putting his foot on Marinette's toilet seat or tub edge?

Logically, he knows he's clean. But a part of him still feels the need to ask.

Swallowing, he calls back to her.

"Bugaboo?"

He can hear the smile in her voice when she responds, "Yes?"

"Could I maybe, uh… could I put my feet on your… uh…"

Adrien is starting to realize how stupid he sounds.

"Nevermind."

"….No, no. What are you asking?"

Taking a deep breath, he tries again.

"Can I put my feet on your toilet seat?" He cringes. "To, y'know, moisturize my legs?"

"Yeah, of course!" Came an immediate reply. "You didn't even have to ask!"

A small sigh of relief escapes his lips, then he starts his task.


Marinette rolls her eyes as she stands outside the bathroom.

She knows boys don't usually take this long to shower; her dad takes five minutes, tops! Maybe Adrien… she's not sure. Maybe he was enjoying the water a little too much, although she'll excuse that. What she can't excuse is the fact that he had to ask her if he can put his newly clean feet on a bathroom appliance. Adding onto the fact that this was five minutes after she told him where everything was.

He can't really be reading all the labels, right? Who would do that?

Actually, he's a model. I guess he has to keep his skin perfect or whatever.

Why would he really care, however, if he hates modeling in the first place? Isn't that what he told his father at the unmasking? Plus, she's not even sure if he has a company to model for anymore. Gabriel is currently at a stand still.

Last she heard, from the Gabriel Instagram page, was that they "will not be taking further commissions at this time."

It's unclear who is making the decisions, to either keep the brand alive or demote it. Even though Paris as a whole is demoting the brand itself, so the marketing team can start slacking as much as they want — no one will support it anymore, regardless of how much effort they put into a salvage. She remembers Adrien mentioning that certain employees, particularly veterans, are given pensions when they leave. So if anything, there will be no impact on financial health if they decide to quit a wilting clothing brand.

Unless Nathalie isn't punished for her crimes as Mayura — which, she has decided, she does NOT have the miraculous because she retired a while back — then she can take over as the new CEO. Or Adrien's aunt could move it up to London with her.

To anyone else, the obvious answer would be to hand it over to Adrien. She has a sinking suspicion that his father would want him to have it, as well. But the thought of how much pressure that would put on him and all the backlash he would receive keeps her from pushing the idea. He is seventeen, barely allowed to drink, and his father would not hesitate to put that pressure on him. It makes her angry, to say the least.

Suddenly the door to the bathroom opens, revealing a sheepish blonde.

"Sorry, you were waiting? I didn't mean to take that long."

She has to force herself to look away from his wet hair and smooth skin, or else she would be biting her lip in longing and that type of flirting is out of her comfort zone, and—

A soft hand touching her cheek finally brings her eyes to his. She nearly melts right on the spot.

"You're fine, kitty. I just have to pee. Not real bad, though. I just…" she trails off, getting lost in his eyes.

The corners of his mouth curve upwards as he looks at her lovingly.

"Go right ahead, Bugababe."

Marinette scrunches her nose up at him, gently swatting his hand away and pushing past him as he walks out of the bathroom.

"Cringe. Love you though!"

A door slams in his face. His heart pounds with excitement and the grin on his lips is never wavering as he stares at the wood in front of him, at the place where she once was. Technically, he knows she's still right there, but he wishes he could just ogle her for hours on end, because she really is the most beautiful human being he has ever seen.

Love you.

So simple, short, and sweet. Just like Marinette. It fits her.

"Love you, too."

The causality of it all makes him feel so warm inside. Bubbly, like…

Like he just found his soulmate.


Well yeaaah, yin & yang ring a bell Chat?

Also sorry. I meant to get this out earlier, but I started later than I wanted to and procrastinated. A lot.

As always, hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to favorite, follow, and review!

xx Lis

p.s. bombs will be dropped in the next ch.