Hey everyone! The server has reached its one year anniversary so a group of writers took submitted prompts and wrote fics for them. This is one last gift I have, for JediFrog from the Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server! I hope this does your prompt justice!
Also I don't own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!^-^
Perfections Illusion
He turned over in bed, wrapping the blankets closer to him as he tried to nestle deeper within their inviting warmth. The faint smell of Plagg's camembert had him groaning, and the sudden pleasant darkness in his room brightened when a soft whirring started.
He covered his head instantly, trying to trap the dark under the blankets with him when he heard familiar laughter.
"I told you not to stay up late playing video games Aid. You knew you had school today."
He groaned in response, hearing her soft laugh again, "If you'd like to actually have breakfast before school, I suggest you get up and get dressed." The blankets were pulled from his grip and he pulled the pillow over his head instead.
She sighed, "All right then, sleep all day. I'll just tell Marinette not to be expecting you this morning."
His eyes snapped open and he sat up, seeing a head of long blonde hair making its way out of his room. "Mom no!"
She stopped and turned to face him with a triumphant grin, "Thought so. Thank the stars for Marinette or you'd never get out of bed."
He glanced over at his clock and saw the time, "AH! I'M GOING TO BE LATE!" He threw the blankets off of him and dashed to his closet, stripping off his pajamas as he went. His mother's laughter spurned him on, watching him dashing between his closet and his bathroom in a state of panic.
He told her with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth as he tried to pull his socks on, "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?!"
She stared at him amused, "Honey, I tried waking you up three times. I swear it takes the jaws of life or Marinette herself to get you out of that bed."
He rushed back to the bathroom and finished brushing his teeth. He was barely pulling on his favorite white overshirt when he heard the stern voice coming from the hall, "Is he up yet? I'd like to have breakfast, as a family, before my meeting at 8am."
"Yes, he's up darling."
He froze in his tracks, his eyes darting to the clock that read 8:47am. He groaned, watching as his father appeared with a smirk on his face, his mother covering her mouth as her own laughter bubbled to the surface.
"UGH, why are you both like this!?" He asked annoyed, watching unamused as his parents laughed. "What time is it really?"
His father tried to get his laughter under control, telling him quickly, "Not even 7am."
"Why can't I have normal parents…" he muttered, walking towards them. His mother hugged him tightly.
"Aww I'm sorry Aid," she kissed his forehead, "we couldn't resist."
"But now that you are up, eating together is important Adrien." His father said a little more seriously, despite the smirk that wouldn't leave his face.
He smiled at them, having to fight to keep the sternness in his voice, "Yeah, I know Dad."
He followed his parents to the dining room, an uncomfortable feeling starting in his stomach as they approached the oppressive doors. He hesitated, staring at his parents retreating figures as they walked hand in hand.
"Dad?" He asked confused, his father turning to look at him curiously asking in a teasing tone, "Son?"
"You," he wasn't sure why he had the thought, "You aren't too busy to eat with us?"
"Of course I'm not too busy. I will always make time for my family, you know that." Gabriel snorted with another smirk, "Trying to keep your mother all to yourself huh?"
He said it without filters, "No, I just really missed her is all."
Gabriel and Emilie exchanged looks, "Did I go somewhere?" "Not that I'm aware of."
He saw the genuine confusion on their faces and shook his head, "Never mind, I think I'm still halfway asleep."
His parents shrugged it off and they made their way into the large dining room. He wasn't sure why he was expecting to see a long empty table. Their dining table was longer than most no doubt, but not excessively. His parents sat down and he sat across from them, feeling weird.
He found himself staring at his mother's face while they ate, a sense of longing building in his chest. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew the pain in his heart was real. Why couldn't he shake this feeling? Everything was perfect. There was no reason to feel this sense of worry.
"I'm sorry to bother you Mister Agreste, Tokyo is on line one and they really need to speak with you." Nathalie walked in, tablet in hand. Her tone was its usual professional one, but with an undercurrent of regret.
"They said 8am, it's not even 7:30 Nathalie." Gabriel said in an icy tone that sent familiar shivers down his back.
"I'm sorry sir, I know how important family time is to you, but it's about the… secret highlight piece for the fall line." Nathalie explained.
Emilie patted Gabriel's arm, "Go dear, it's fine. One short breakfast isn't going to hurt us."
Gabriel stood, "I'm sorry about this." He kissed Emilie quickly, walking around the table and ruffling his son's hair, "See you tonight, have a good practice."
Adrien sighed as Gabriel walked out. Looking at Nathalie he asked, already feeling overwhelmed, "Do you have a schedule for me Nathalie?"
She nodded and he sat back in his chair as his mother smiled across the table at him, "Fencing practice afterschool, oh and your Chinese tutor cancelled for the afternoon. Other than that and your photoshoot on Friday no, I don't have anything else on the schedule. Why was there something in particular you were hoping to do?"
He blinked, "Oh, uh, no. Not, really."
Emilie laughed, "It's not like we are going to plan your day out to the second Aid. You are sixteen, you can make your own decisions."
"Mostly." Nathalie muttered, making Emilie smirk, "Mostly."
He stood, telling her naturally, "I'll see you tonight then." He went around the table and kissed her on the top of her head. His eyes closed as his voice shook, "I love you Mom."
"I love you Adrien. Have a good day at school, and tell Marinette I said hi." She said happily.
He made his way out of the dining room, seeing Gorilla standing from the small sitting area they had in the foyer. The quiet giant smiled at him and he said it smiling, "To Marinette's please."
The ride to Marinette's was quick, and he smiled, seeing her rushing out of the bakery doors with a croissant in her mouth. He laughed as the car stopped, opening the door and calling out to her, "Hey beautiful! What's the rush?"
She stopped, turning back slowly before her eyes widened in joy. He watched the croissant fall from her mouth as she rushed back to him, "ADRIEN!"
He got her mid jump into his arms, laughing as he spun her in a circle happily, "There's my bugaboo."
She hummed appreciatively, nuzzling into his neck, "There's my kitty." She pressed her lips to his and he kissed her back, feeling the happy fluttering in his stomach. He grabbed his bag from the backseat and waved goodbye to Gorilla. He took Marinette's hand and they walked to school, chatting happily.
God he loved this girl. He'd been in love with her since the day she literally knocked him off his feet. She was his everything, his purrincess, his lady. He watched her face as she talked excitedly about the new design she was working on, trying to be ready for the Gala Premier of the fall line.
He didn't know how he'd become so lucky. Having his Ladybug at his side, in and out of the mask, knowing that she loved him the way he completely loved her… his life was perfect.
He smiled at his friends as they headed to class, keeping his lady's hand the entire time. He saw Lila approaching them with a smile, and he instantly frowned, pulling Marinette to a stop.
"What's wrong kitty?" She asked as he kept her a step behind him.
"Good morning Adrien. Marinette." Lila said happily.
Marinette smiled at her, "Oh, hey Lila. Good morning."
His tone was flat, "Good morning."
Lila looked at Marinette confused, "Did I do something wrong?"
Marinette shook her head, "I don't think so. What's going on Adrien?"
He stared between the two girls with a frown. They hated each other… didn't they? He relaxed slightly, the thought being banished from his mind, "No, it's nothing. Sorry Lila. I'm just, having a weird morning I guess."
The girls nodded, but even after they exchanged a few words about the upcoming school trip, Marinette pulled him away from everyone.
He instantly recognized the look on her face. It was her Ladybug look, the one she wore when she was determined to get to the bottom of something. He smiled innocently and she frowned at him, "Don't smile at me like that. You said you were having a weird morning, what's going on?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, "You'll probably laugh."
She waited in silence and he sighed, "Nothing. My morning has been… perfect. My parents pulled a prank on me to get me up. We had breakfast together, and were laughing and joking. Dad had to take a call, but it happens." He grabbed her hands and held them to his chest, "I have my beautiful girlfriend, who is also my best friend and my amazingly purrfect partner." He winked, watching her nose crinkle at the pun. "I have freedom in my life to do what I want, and be with my friends."
He stared into her worried eyes, "Everything is perfect, bug. My life is perfect, I couldn't ask for more." He kissed her forehead, noticing that she was frowning again.
"But?"
He shook his head, "No 'but'. There is absolutely nothing wrong."
Marinette smiled so brightly it put the sun to shame, "Good. You deserve nothing less." She gave him a quick kiss before turning to head to class. He saw a flash of her suited up as Ladybug, noticing the determined set of her shoulders. He blinked as she turned back to him, "Are you coming?"
She held her hand out for him, and he took a step towards her, placing his hand back in hers.
He had everything he wanted… so, why was he so uneasy again?
He shook his head. No. There was no reason to feel uneasy.
"Stop it Adrien! Think! You know something is wrong! Trust your instincts!"
He stopped in his tracks, hearing the voice clearly in his head that wasn't his own.
"Damn it Adrien, listen to me! This is wrong, you know it's wrong, THINK!"
He frowned at the harshness of the voice, not able to remember why it sounded so familiar. He thought it back, "It's not wrong. Nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect."
The voice went silent with his resolute response, and he brushed it off as just part of this weird morning. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed up so late playing video games after all.
He walked into class behind Marinette, seeing her sitting down in the front row. He took his seat next to her, fist-bumping Nino quickly right behind him, "Sup my man, we still down for the battle this afternoon?"
He cocked his head to the side, "Battle?" As fun as that sounded he knew he probably wouldn't be able to go. He stiffened, wait… why would he think that? All he had was fencing practice today, of course he'd have time.
Marinette chuckled when Alya sighed, "The video game battle, to knock the Queen off her throne." She motioned to Marinette who smiled proudly.
He smirked, "I'll never be able to beat her in a million years."
Marinette's eyes lit up and Nino huffed, "DUDE! You are the only one who stands a chance!"
"Not against her I don't." He said easily, seeing a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"I didn't think you'd give up so easily, kitten." She teased.
His eyes widened in horror. There was no way she would have been that obvious about their identities. "K-Kitten?" He warned her carefully, watching the realization hit her.
"I- uhh, I don't know, w-where that came from…" she said slowly.
Alya just laughed, "Well you guys are our resident everyday Ladybug and Chat Noir."
Nino smirked, "Yeah, and you two are so lovey dovey just like them too, it makes me want to hurl." Alya and Nino laughed as their two friends blushed, exchanging worried glances.
He couldn't take this. The feeling of dread building in his stomach had him on his feet, "I need to talk to you, like now."
He grabbed Marinette's hand and pulled her up, seeing her nodding as they dashed out of the room. There was no way, NO WAY, his lady would jeopardize their identities with that kind of slip up. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
They found a quiet spot out of sight and instantly Marinette started panicking, "Oh god, oh god what did I do? Why did I say that?! What is the matter with me?"
She covered her face with her hands and he hugged her tightly, "Bug, it's okay. Alya and Nino didn't even realize what it really meant. We are safe, everything is going to be fine." He looked down into her beautiful eyes, and felt his heart twist, "It's perfect, isn't it?"
Marinette's eyes started to water, "Adrien please,"
"You feel it too, don't you?" He asked already knowing the answer.
She held him tighter, "I love you. I love you please Chaton," she cupped his face as her tears fell, "don't do this. I want this, I want to be able to talk to you like a normal person, and have my kitty at my side all the time. I want to see you look at me the way Chat Noir looks at Ladybug. Please," she begged as he put his hand over hers, "I want this life, I want us to be together."
He closed his eyes, resting his forehead on hers, "I want it too Bug. I want to have you in my life outside the mask. I want Marinette and M'lady to be one and the same because my heart is so torn between you I feel like I'm being ripped apart. I want to be able to hang out with my friends, and have breakfast with my parents…" the tears in his eyes spilled out, "I want my mom back."
"KID LISTEN TO ME! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT BACK!"
He knew what voice he was hearing, and told Marinette sadly, "Plagg is right M'lady. We have to fight back."
Her lower lip trembled, "I don't want to. I don't want to this time."
"I know," he whispered, "I don't either," he lifted her hand and kissed it, "but we have to."
Marinette looked down, her hand tightening in his before she looked up at him with tears streaming from her eyes. Her voice was strong, and she let go of his hand as she took a step back, "I'm breaking up with you."
His stomach twisted, but he nodded as he took another step away from her, "Fine." It felt like acid coming out of his mouth, "I don't love you Marinette."
She let out a short sob, but took another step away from him, "I don't… I don't love you anymore Adrien."
A crack formed under his foot with his next step away from her, "You… You could never be my Ladybug."
"You will never be my Chat Noir." She responded, and he saw the crack forming around her feet too.
They held each other's eyes, saying it at the same time, "I hate you."
A flash of blinding light quickly covered his face, and he felt himself slam into the ground. His eyes snapped open, his claws grinding into the floor as he choked on his sorrow. He forced himself up, seeing the woman in white floating above him, eyeing him with a frown.
"Chat Noir, was that world not to your liking? Here pet, let's try again." She lifted her wrist towards him, where the bracelet there lit up with the same white energy that had hit him before. "We all deserve to be happy, in a world where no one can take away what is meant to be ours. Let Fairy Godmother give you what you deserve."
He dashed out of the way and saw Ladybug take the chance from behind the akuma. Her yoyo wrapped around the akuma's wrist, and the bracelet came flying towards him. "Cataclysm!"
He caught it in his hand and watched as the akuma flew free. Ladybug lowered the akumatized lady to the ground before looking at him, her eyes full of the sadness that he felt in his heart.
They were going to forget, again. His lady was right behind him, and she loved him the way he loved her. They were so close, so close to each other and to the happiness that they both wanted. Ladybug stared down at the unused lucky charm, a small compact mirror, and clenched it in her hand. She ran over to him and he opened his arms to her, holding her to his chest as tightly as he could.
She was already crying again, "I hate this… I hate this."
He hugged her tighter, "I love you, I will always love you. Both sides of you, no matter what I say, or what comes between us. I'm sorry bugaboo, I'm so, so sorry I keep hurting you."
She shook her head, "No, I'm hurting you, this way. That's why I hate this, you are right here, I have you in my arms and I don't ever want to let go and…"
"One day Bug," he promised. She nodded sadly, and threw the compact into the air, "Miraculous Ladybug!"
Her lips were on his instantly, and he responded in full, trying to hold onto this moment for as long as he could. The warmth of the healing ladybugs covered him and he held her closer, wishing more than anything that they wouldn't forget.
The ladybug's disappeared and he pulled back breathless, staring into her eyes in shock.
"Bug."
Tears fell from her eyes, "Kitty."
He lifted her up and swung her around as she threw her arms around his neck. "I remember, I remember!" She squealed.
He laughed, holding her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, "I remember too. I don't understand, I thought," their miraculous beeped their first warning and she dropped down, saying it quickly, "Let's get out of here."
He nodded, both of them staring over to the lady who had been akumatized. She was already in the arms of a man who was comforting her. The man caught his eyes and gave him a small smile. He smiled back, knowing the woman would be okay with him, and followed his lady. He was surprised that she was leading him straight to her balcony, and asked worried, "You don't think this will look, suspicious?"
She shook her head, carefully looking around, "We were together when the akuma attacked remember? We can say that we just ran here to get away from it."
He beamed at her, "Brilliant."
Ladybug blushed and they jumped onto her balcony one at a time, dropping into her room before losing their transformations. Tikki and Plagg appeared, Plagg grumbling, "Ughh, why…"
Adrien rolled his eyes and pulled out a piece of camembert, Marinette and Tikki scrunching their noses, even as she handed the little god of creation a macaron.
He said it a little envious of her kwami's food choice, "Lucky."
Marinette smirked, "Was that intentional?"
He thought about it and laughed, "No actually." They stared at each other for a few seconds before looking away, blushing.
Plagg snorted, trying to hide his laughter, "Oh it's far too late to be embarrassed. You were just kissing all over each other, get over it."
Tikki giggled, "Aren't you curious as to why you remember this time?"
Marinette nodded instantly, "Of course but,"
He closed the distance to her, grabbing her hand and standing at her side. She smiled at him shyly, and he kissed the side of her head before turning back to their kwami's.
"Was it something we did?" He asked.
Tikki nodded proudly, "You were willing to give each other up, to sacrifice your happiness in order to do what was right and stop the akuma."
Plagg gave him a stern look, "Even though you denied it for a while, no matter how many times I told you to think."
"I'm sorry Plagg I, I wanted…" he paused and Marinette squeezed his hand. "We both wanted to stay in that world. It wasn't just you."
Tikki sighed, "At least Adrien heard you, Marinette refused to hear my voice at all until she called Adrien 'kitten'."
"That's kinda where I had to admit something was wrong." He admitted, "I knew m'lady would never do anything to jeopardize our identities."
"Never." Marinette agreed, "I was just, so happy that you were with me. That I didn't have to be at war with myself thinking I was in love with two different people. It was so natural, as though,"
"We'd been by each other's side since the beginning." He finished, smiling when he saw her nod.
"It also helps that Ladybug is the new guardian." Plagg added lazily from across the room, poking at a bright green ball of yarn sitting in a basket on her desk.
"What do you mean?" Marinette asked.
Tikki smiled, "You are the guardian, that means you need to remember the things that happened during an akuma attack, so that you can learn from it." She looked over at Adrien and smiled, "And since Chat Noir is more or less your, protector, he also needs to have those memories."
"But, Oblivio," Adrien started, but Plagg interrupted him as he started unraveling the yarn, "Pigtails wasn't the guardian yet, and you were both still learning. It's been a year, and you have grown together. Your decision to let each other go, in order to do what was right, proves that you are ready to deal with knowing the truth."
"The truth that I suspect you have both been aware of, that you've simply been denying for the sake of keeping each other's identities safe." Tikki added.
Marinette looked up at him, "I would never put you in danger like that."
He shook his head, "Never."
Tikki beamed at them, "And that's why, this time, you've retained the memories. If you weren't truly ready, the miraculous ladybugs would have taken those memories from you again."
Marinette asked a little worried, "So, what now?"
He asked her instantly, "Will you, go out with me? For real?"
She threw her arms around his middle, leaning up towards him, "Hmm, I don't know. I have this tomcat that won't leave me alone. I might actually have a crush on him you know."
Adrien grinned, "Is that right? Well, maybe I can make you forget about him."
"Oh?" She asked surprised, "How do you plan on doing that?"
He closed the gap to her lips, giving her a featherlight press that still sent chills down his entire body. "One perfect kiss at a time." He whispered.
She smiled, but sounded breathless, "I'm willing to let you try, for as long as you want."
"One day Bug." He repeated lovingly, feeling her relax in his arms, "One day, today, forever. Me and you against the world."
"Me and you against the world." She whispered back, kissing him stronger and knowing that this was exactly where they were meant to be.
Thanks for reading! As always feel free to comment or review if you want!
Au Revoir for now!