Hello, beautiful people! Long time no see, and I a-paw-logize! I truly didn't mean for the wait to be this long, but I hit a major writers' block and was busy with work and school during the summer (trust me, I know *cue eye roll*). It also didn't help that I still had to proof read everything, and this is a long chapter. Here is the final installment of my story, 63,900 words later in total, and I'm afraid to see it's done! Now, without further ado, here she is, enjoy!
Chapter 12
Chat stared on in disbelief and horror when he saw the last of her body disappear within the void, before it collapsed. His heart stuttered to an instant stop as he recalled the look on her face, the pure horror and confusion etched into each detail of her porcelain visage… and he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't even do anything now, watching the portal in which she fell through fade in front of his very eyes. Chat faintly heard someone screaming her name – Anthony, he soon realized – before he felt a burning sensation in his eyes, leading to a single tear to drip down his cold cheek. "MARINETTE!" he shouted in unison with his love rival, desperate to somehow call her back.
A mischievous chuckle sounded behind him before it erupted into chaotic laughter. "I did it! I found a subject for my experiment!" the akuma called.
"You mean a victim, correct?" Chat retorted, barely able to control himself from throwing his staff at him in retaliation. Despite his inaction, he already felt his cataclysmic powers erupt from his hands, and he suddenly remembered the story Plagg told him just days prior. He tried breathing deeply, flexing his fingers to dissipate his spell, but it did little to help. This is bad.
"No, not a victim, a victim would entail some sort of pain was inflicted."
"You mean to say that she isn't in any pain?! I watched her-"
"Simply fall into one of my portals, that is all. These portals, as I was stating earlier yet no one would listen, can be used for transportation purposes. That is what happened to her, she is simply waiting for the other door to open. See for yourself," he taunted with a wicked smile before he made another portal open, making her fall back onto the road, hard.
"Marinette!" Chat and Anthony yelled simultaneously before they ran to her side. It might have been selfish of him, but Chat Noir was relieved that he reached her first and that his cataclysm faded away, only for his sense of relief to fade when he felt how cold and lifeless her body was in his arms. "Marinette?" he called again with no answer. "Mari, princess," he whispered. "Please don't leave me, not like this. Come back to me."
"Why the melodrama? She only went from one place to the other, no need to be so dramatic." Chat wanted to make the smile disappear from his face, but he didn't want to leave his princess's side.
"This isn't a simple matter of transportation, she's unconscious!" Anthony yelled to the akuma. "If you didn't realize, your 'new mode of transportation' involves sending someone through space, and she wasn't equipped! You wouldn't even be able to go anywhere without your precious costume!"
"Costume? Costume?! You mock my uniform in such a disrespectful manner? Where is your allegiance with your country?!"
"At least I'm not attacking my city!" Anthony retorted. Adrien hated to admit it, but he had respect for the man brave enough to face the akuma in such a way, especially without any powers of his own. Still, he was the hero, so he should be the only one facing the akuma, not endangering the life of Marinette's boyfriend.
Sudden movement made Chat to zone in on the smaller body in his arms, noting that she was moving slightly before she began to cough uncontrollably, inhaling large gulps of air almost like she nearly drowned. "Marinette!" he called desperately, bringing her close to his body after she calmed down a bit. "Princess, you're back, you're alive," he whispered, feeling tears leak from his eyes once more as he embraced her tightly.
She groaned airily at how tightly she was being held, before she answered him as best as she could. "You think I would disappear so easily? Silly kitty." Silly kitty. Chat feared he would never hear her say such words again.
"You were sent through a portal, I thought… I feared…"
"What you feared is of no consequence now, because I'm here. I'm not leaving any time soon, I promise."
"Good, or else I would have to track you down and bring you back. That is my promise."
"I wouldn't expect it any other way." She used whatever strength she had to gently hug him in return, hoping that she could calm him down a bit. As Ladybug, she knew that once Chat was riled up it was difficult to calm him down. As Marinette, she knew that he was extremely protective of her and would stop at nothing to ensure her safety, even if it meant risking his own life, and that was why she pushed him aside. His selfless sense of heroism would blind him into risking his life to protect her, even if it meant endangering the city if he was gone. There was no way he could know she was Ladybug, and even though she was, she wouldn't want him to risk protecting her if it meant endangering Paris further than it needed to be. Nevertheless, she was thankful he was there with her now, holding her when even she herself thought she was a goner.
"I hate to break up the party, but we need to get out of here," Anthony cut in, keeping a wary eye on the akuma who was looking on in strange satisfaction. "She's okay now, so I should take her to a safer location while you deal with him."
Chat never hated having to perform his duties more than now, but he knew Anthony was right. He had to defeat the akuma, as well as find Ladybug, before he could reunite with Marinette again. "Okay, yeah, sure. Do you swear to take good care of her?" Chat asked seriously while sending a threatening glare towards the man.
"I'll protect her with my life, I swear it," he stated seriously in return. Oddly enough, Chat believed him. With one final look towards his princess, and a gentle kiss on her forehead, he left her in the arms of her boyfriend before facing the akuma alone.
However, a gentle voice lured him back. "Kitty?"
"What is it princess?"
"… Please be careful."
He couldn't help but turn towards her with a soft, reassuring smile. "I prrromise, I will return for you soon."
"I'll hold you up to that, you stray," she teased with her own gentle smile before Anthony lifted her up and carried her off, escaping around the side of the building and away from the attack.
"Oh, how touching. The woman you love felt like she was in danger, but you brought her back, only to be carried off by some other man. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel."
"How? How could you possibly know how I feel?" he asked, partly wanting to distract him until Ladybug showed up but also trying to calm himself down.
"It might not have been with a woman, but my dream is like my baby. I knew there was a way to prove my thesis about interdimensional portals through space, but no one believed me. Perhaps my thesis was too bold, or my theories were too complicated to be understood, but some other schmuck stole my idea and he was approved by the government. How do you think that made me feel? Jealous. Angry. I wanted revenge – no, I craved it. A man who steals something that doesn't belong to him deserves to pay. Don't you agree?"
Chat wanted so badly to agree with the akuma; Anthony stole his princess away from him, he made her laugh and he made her feel safe. That was his job, only Chat Noir was able to protect her best, but she still chose Anthony. However, he couldn't allow the akuma to take advantage of his emotions, so he tried to plaster a casual smirk on his face. "I admit, sometimes I do feel jealousy over small matters, but never to the extent where someone needs to pay."
"Are you saying that you don't want to seek revenge against the man who stole your woman's heart?" His accusation made Chat's blood run cold. "I saw it in your eyes, the way you behaved around her. She is no ordinary person, you love her, and it is so obvious it is painful. Does she know? Or does she not care?"
"Shut up," Chat warned with a growl.
"She doesn't want you, she obviously made her choice with the man she allowed carry her off. But that won't stop you, will it? You're a fighter. You want to claim her as your own, even if it means humiliating him. That's all I am doing, I am only seeking vengeance against the people who wronged me and taking back what is mine. Join me, and our dreams will come to life!"
"I will never join someone like you, someone whose head has outreached the clouds!" Chat taunted before lunging at the akuma and engaging in an intense battle.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
The ride was slightly bumpy, but Marinette knew she was safe in her brother's arms. He might not look it, but he was very strong, and could easily carry her places. But not for very long. She knew he needed to rest, and she did too in order to gain some strength back, but she didn't have a lot of time for that. She needed to transform into Ladybug and help Chat before he hurt himself. The akuma is viscious, and the portals almost killed her. Hopefully no one else went through one, and she hoped her miraculous cure could help everyone that fell victim if they did.
They just ran around a corner, getting closer and closer to the bakery where they would be safer and further away from the akuma. "Anthony," she called, hoping to get his attention, but failed. "Anthony," she called louder. It took a moment, but she realized that he was actively avoiding her gaze and ignoring her calls. "Anthony, I know you can hear me. Please, let me down."
"Not a chance. You're still recovering from that weird voodoo he placed on you."
"It wasn't voodoo," she retorted with a playful scrunch of her nose.
"Whatever it was, that was too dangerous for my baby sister," he retorted before running through the side doors and upstairs to her room. Luckily for them, their parents were preoccupied and didn't notice them run inside, or they would ask why Anthony was carrying Marinette around like a child. Once they made it to Marinette's room, he gently placed her on her chaise and began bombarding her with questions. "Are you alright? Are you breathing okay? Do you need water? Or food? Do you-"
"What I need, Anthony, is for you to calm down and take a breath. I'm fine, I'm rested enough to even go back outside."
"No, you are not, young lady. You are going to stay there for a little bit longer-"
"You're being ridiculous, Tony. It wasn't a big deal."
"Wasn't a big deal," he stated in an incredulous whisper. "Wasn't a big deal?! Marinette, you almost died out there, how is that not a big deal?!"
"That's the average day for Ladybug," she tried to joke, but only sulked when she got the stink eye from Tony. "Listen, I know how you feel, but you don't need to worry about me. I've handled far more dangerous akumas; you've seen the videos, so you know that as well. I can't just skip out on it, Chat Noir is out there right now working alone. What if something happened to him? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he got hurt, or worse. I am his partner, I can't let him fight this alone."
Before Anthony could say anything more, Tikki made her appearance. "That's true, Anthony. There is a reason Plagg and I chose our handlers, and that was because we knew they would be able to handle these tasks best above all others. I worry about their safety every time there is an akuma, especially a dangerous one like Trou Noir, but if we didn't trust they could handle it then they wouldn't be our current holders. They are perfectly capable and safe with us, don't you trust me?" she asked while beating her large orbs at Anthony. He always had a weakness to large, doe-like eyes, that was how Marinette always got away with her antics, so Marinette knew that he would cave in 3, 2, 1-
"Y-yeah, I guess I trust you. Fine, you can leave. But Marinette, please don't expose yourself to danger more than necessary, do you understand me?"
"Oh please, if I have to-"
"Marinette, you should listen to Anthony," Tikki cut in.
"Tikki, I-"
"I know you Marinette, and you also tend to take some risks, especially lately. You are still weak from going through the portal, so you need to be extra careful today. Understand? We just worry for you, and if Ladybug goes down, so will Chat Noir and all of Paris!"
"Alright, I'll be extra careful."
"Promise?" Tikki and Tony asked simultaneously, making Marinette giggle.
"I promise." Giving Tikki's head a gentle pat and her secret handshake to Tony, she transformed into Ladybug and made her way back to where her feline partner was last seen.
When she got to the scene, she wanted to face palm. The two of them were shouting puns back and forth while sparring, not seeming to get anywhere. Right then, the akuma said something, and it made her partner freeze for just a moment, which was all the akuma needed to lunge forward and strike him, sending him onto a different rooftop. Whatever was said triggered Chat Noir, and the look in his eyes sent an uncomfortable shiver down Ladybug's spine. His emerald eyes were vibrant, almost electric as they took in the akuma, and with almost imperceivable movement, he summoned his cataclysm and lunged for the akuma. He missed on a few of the swipes, and Marinette feared for a moment what would happen if Chat's cataclysm hit a person. She desperately wanted to call for him, but she worried about distracting him when he was in close combat with the akuma. For a split second, however, she noticed Chat making eye contact with her, almost like someone whispered in his ear that she was watching. His shoulders eased slightly, and he sent a wink her way, letting her know that he noticed her. She breathed easier, knowing that whatever foolish move he was going to make was abated… for now. In one swift move, Chat was able to hit the akuma back into an already crumbled building, ensuring that he wouldn't be able to get out for a few minutes, before making his way back to Ladybug.
"Good afternoon, milady, how are you on this fine day?"
"I'm doing just fine, Kitty. What have you gathered on this akuma?"
"He's able to fly and create portals which send people through space into another location. That might sound su-purrbly cool, but I wouldn't recommend going in one. One of my… friends… got trapped in one and she-" he cut himself off and took a deep breath, "she's fine now, but it still took one of my nine lives."
Knowing he was still stressed about it but made a joke, she giggled while reaching out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she's just fine right now, Chat Noir. You can even go visit her when this is over, yeah?"
"Yes, I think I will. Thanks, Ladybug," he smiled towards her, before it turned to a frown as he faced her directly. Confused as his sudden turn in expression, she cocked her head to the side that he was famous for, ironically. "By the way, where were you when the akuma came?"
Ladybug could've sworn her soul leaked out of her suit at his question. "Uh, uhm I-I was at the other side of P-Paris, Chaton. Why d-do you ask?" She was never really a good liar, but she was better at coming up with excuses as Ladybug. Why was she so nervous now?
Chat seemed to catch onto her little fib and leaned forward, hands on his hips, hoping to intimidate an answer out of her. She avoided his questioning glare by directing her face up and towards the left, defiant to his emerald orbs. He knew he wouldn't be getting anywhere with her, so he sighed and leaned back, placing his hands behind his head in a nonchalent manner. "Alright. I'm glad you came when you did, then."
"Y-yeah…"
"So, are you ready to get this akuma cleansed?" he inquired with a friendly wink.
"Just what I was thinking. We need to get this astronaut back to earth and out of the clouds," she tried to joke, which was a bad idea around Chat.
"Actually, he wouldn't be in the clouds, he would-"
"Yeah, I know, just bear with me, Kitty. Lucky Charm!"
Ladybugs filled the sky as she cried out her signature phrase. It felt good to say that, she honestly feared the worst when she went into that portal earlier. Ladybug was waiting somewhat impatiently for whatever lucky charm would be given to her, barely refraining from tapping her foot as it fell from the sky. But the object that fell wasn't at all what she expected. Confused, she held it up slightly higher as she saw Chat come over to her side to get a good look at it. "What the heck is that, milady?"
"I… I think it's one of those splat balls."
"A what?"
"It's supposed to splat and stick to whatever you-" suddenly, Ladybug's vision dulled and different objects lit up her sight. A lightpole, a window, Chat, two pieces of rubble each shaped like a ball, and the figure that was slowly emerging from the rubble. "Chat, I know what to do."
"Fill me in, milady."
When the akuma made it out of the pile of rubble, he shouted to the sky in anger. "You think you can destract me so easily, you stray! Come out and fight like a man!"
"I think I'm good, I am a cat afterall," Chat quipped near the akuma, startling him.
"Why you little- I'll skin you alive!" With that warning, he launched himself at Chat Noir to spar with him much like they did before. However, both fighters were going a lot harder than they were earlier.
"Now, Chat!" Ladybug suddenly called while effortlessly throwing the smaller boulder at her partner. In a swift movement, Chat hit the akuma hard enough to fling him back high into the air, startling him and rendering him motionless for just a moment, which was all Ladybug needed. She threw the lucky charm towards the window and watched it bounce off before splatting directly on his helmet, effectively blocking his vision. With a mighty cry, she threw the second massive ball-shaped rubble at her parter who in turn swung his staff as if he was playing American baseball.
"Fore!" he cried right before it hit the akuma, throwing him against the lightpole. Dazed, Trou Noir wasn't able to put up much of a fight, allowing Ladybug to tie him up with her yoyo and grab his akumatized object, which was his international space badge on his suit. With ease, she ripped it in half to free the akuma, quickly capturing it before it flew away.
"Bye bye, little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!" Instantly, millions of ladybugs filled the sky and fixed everything that the akuma destroyed, including each car and building that fell through the portals. "Honestly kitty, I thought you knew the differences between sports. I think you mixed a couple of them up."
"Really, my lady? I don't think so. You shout 'fore' right as you hit the ball, that's what I did."
"Then your form wasn't right."
"I thought my form was purrrfect!"
"Whatever you say, Chaton," she shook her head in bewilderment, softly laughing.
"Do you mock me, Ladybug? I'm hurt, you wound this poor cat. Whatever will I do?"
"Whatever it takes to help you sleep at night," she teased before approaching the akuma, who just began to come to.
"Wha- where am I?" he mumbled while glancing around, eyes widening when his eyes caught the Parisian hero duo. "L-Ladybug? Chat Noir? H-how did I get here? D-did… did I-?"
"Unfortunately so. In a moment of weakness, Hawkmoth sent one of his akumas that clouded your mind. Are you alright?"
"Y-yes, I'm fine, Ladybug. But, what about Paris? Did I-"
"Paris is fine, perhaps a little shaken up, but fine. No one was hurt, and no one blames you, everyone has a bad day."
Chat remained silent, agreeing with her words. Just like the akuma, he was also having a bad day. But this wasn't about him. He wasn't akumatized and controlled, and he didn't plan to be controlled anytime soon.
"I-I suppose, but I still attacked Paris. How will I continue from here? I lost everything. My job, my dreams, and now I'm a-"
"Don't say such a thing. No one has lost everything from being an akuma, and you're no different. I'm sure if you logically confront your superiors and the man who you claimed stole your idea, I'm sure the matter will sort itself out. Do you trust us?"
"Of course!"
"Then trust in us now. Trust that things will turn for the better. Now go, follow your dreams once more and get what is rightfully yours."
"I will! Thank you, Ladybug and Chat Noir. I won't forget this day."
"Neither will I," Chat Noir grumbled to himself, plastering on a smile when his partner turned his way. "Well, my lady! Looks like another akuma is cleansed, what do we do now?"
A faint beeping diverted their attention to Ladybug's earrings, signalling she only had about a minute left before she changed back. "I've gotta go recharge, but we can meet at our usual place, yeah?"
"Sure," he murmured with a soft smile, not quite meeting his eyes.
Ladybug wanted to ask him what the look was for, but she felt Tikki's impatience push from within and quickly ran off the roof, using her yoyo to find a secluded alley close enough to her house. She was just barely able to land before a bright light engulfed her and changed her back to Marinette. Tikki tiredly flew down to land on Marinette's shoulder, only to jerk back when Marinette careened toward the wall. "Marinette!"
"I-I'm fine, T-Tikki. Just… a little winded, that's all."
"You weren't healed quick enough, I'm sorry," she whispered almost in pain as she drifted back to land on a nearby escape stairway.
"I-It's o-o-okay, Tikki, let's j-just go ho-home."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
"There you go, safe and sound," Chat stated as he dropped the former akuma at the hospital. Despite the city being fixed by Ladybug's… well, miraculous ladybugs, the citizens knew better than to send emergency vehicles out, at least for a few hours unless in an emergency. It is Ladybug's or Chat Noir's responsibility to bring an akumatized victim in, unless they can bring themselves in. Typically, it was Chat Noir who brought the victim in because Ladybug always uses her lucky charm, and Chat only uses his cataclysm on occasion. He didn't mind doing it, in fact he loved talking with the citizens as Paris's favorite feline hero, but today is different. He needed to check on Marinette. Chat knew that Anthony was her boyfriend, and he could protect her just fine, but it was all so wrong. Marinette was still his princess, and he was her knight in shining… leather.
No matter, if he could no longer have a chance with her, then he had to see her, just one last time. On her balcony. She was always there after an akuma attack, almost waiting for him. It was routine for him to visit her before heading home, it was a habit… a habit he now needed to break, for both of their sakes.
Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he thought about what he wanted – needed to say to her. He wasn't sure if he would be able to see her again, have another late night talk; but he needed to tell her everything before he left, just in case he wouldn't have another opportunity. At least, not as Chat. It would be difficult to see her as Adrien and not be able to have a romantic relationship, but he supposed he missed his chance. He had three years since he met her, and a year since she confessed to him. He wasn't sure exactly when he started to crush on her, but when he did he fell fast. He should've told her how he felt the moment he discovered it himself. And now… it was too late.
When he landed on her balcony, he felt he had a general idea of what he wanted to talk about, but she wasn't outside like normal. It has been getting cold lately, perhaps she's inside. Opening her latch, he jumped on her bed, but couldn't see her anywhere from his perspective. "Marinette? Are you home?" When there was no response, he gently climbed off her bed and leapt down to the main floor. "Princess? Are you here?"
"Princess, huh?" a new voice called behind him, and Chat felt his metaphorical fur rise on end, and he whipped around to see who the intruder was while smoothly unsheathing his staff, only to find… Anthony.
"You?!"
"Yes, me. And you? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to speak with Marinette."
"And she's your 'princess,' huh?" Chat didn't like the way Anthony was looking at him, sitting comfortably in Marinette's computer chair – a little too comfortably for his liking – with his arms crossed over his chest, trying to impose some sort of dominance over Chat, which wouldn't work. He has fought countless akumas over the years, and a man just a little bigger than him won't intimidate him.
Copying the pose, Chat placed his arms over his chest and leaned his weight onto one leg, feeling his tail twitch impatiently behind him. "Yes, my princess, have something against that?"
"I do. What makes you think you're worth her affections, stray?"
"First of all, only one person can call me a stray. Well, two, but neither of them are you, understand?"
"Hmm," he responded, arms still crossed as if he was better than a superhero. It ticked him off.
"Second, I don't think I'm worthy. In fact, I might be the worst person to get her affections, but I would do anything to have them. She's a fantastic person. She's brave, smart, resourceful, and so much more, it makes me crazy knowing how perfect she is." Chat didn't even realize he started pacing, but he was getting nervous and had to rant about his princess, even if it was to the one person he hated the most… other than Hawkmoth, of course. This is all going to shit. Where's Marinette?!
"I know how perfect she is, but I also know how flawed she is."
"Flawed?! Who is perfect? Marinette is perfect, she's perfect to me… for me. You might not believe it, but I haven't loved anyone more than Marinette, and I know her worth. This is difficult for me, but I'm willing to concede as long as you make her inexplicably happy. Can I trust that you will make her happy?"
Anthony was silent for a solid minute, and it increased Chat's stress. Finally, he stood and began to walk towards Chat. "Happy? Honestly, that's not up to me to make her happy, now is it?"
"What is that supposed-"
"Only Mari knows what could make her happy, and I don't think a liar like yourself could ever make her 'inexplicably happy,' do you?"
"What do-"
"You. You're the liar."
"Why-"
"You claim to have only loved Marinette, while I know that's not true. Everyone knows that you have loved Ladybug since the beginning, and there's video evidence to prove my statement. You know that, right?" When Chat didn't answer right away, he plowed on. "So what made you go for Marinette, huh? The fact that you didn't have a chance with Ladybug so Mari is the next best option? Her little quirks that remind you of Ladybug so you displace your crush on Ladybug onto Mari? Or the fact that you have a type?"
"A-a type?! I never tried to compare Marinette to Ladybug, despite how similar they could be. Yes, I realized I had no chance with Ladybug, but that was long before I realized I had a crush on Marinette. I would never try to change her to make her into someone or something she is not. I love all her little 'quirks,' as you have called it. It makes her the friend I can rely on, the genius I can count on to help me whenever she's willing, and the Marinette that I love."
Silence permeated the room, and it was only then that he he was in Anthony's face, indignant over his accusation and his dismissal of the greatest girl he has ever known. Does he not know how precious she is? Does he not appreciate her for who she is? Maybe he doesn't deserve her, maybe Chat should fight for his love.
"Love, huh?" Another skeptical sigh erupted from Anthony along with a quirked eyebrow. Chat swallowed, not realizing he confessed… to the wrong person! He didn't need to tell Marinette's boyfriend how he felt about her, no less saying the L word. He needed to find Marinette, fast, and confess to her, hoping she would give him one final chance. He didn't want to consider himself a homewrecker, but he desperately needed to know if she felt the same way, or if there was a chance between them. "That's a strong word for a kid like you to know, much less understand."
"I'm not a kid," Chat Noir growled, quickly losing his temper.
"Maybe not, but are you a man? A man who truly deserves her?"
What? Is he being serious, or is he gloating? "As I said, I might not deserve her, but I'm willing to try to earn her affections."
"Hmm, interesting. Normally when a man is trying to prove his worth, he states all his best attributes and claims how perfect they are for each other. Why aren't you?"
"I'm far from perfect. I'm a black cat, and I have more problems in my civilian life. I know I still have to work on things, but if she's willing to accept me for who I am and stay with me while I improve myself, then I would consider myself as one lucky black cat for having the opportunity."
Anthony looked thoughtful for a moment, scanning his eyes up and down Chat's person, easily making Chat nervous, but he wasn't going to show it. At last, Anthony gave him a sincere smile, which confused him greatly. Anthony laughed at the reaction, and Chat only then realized that his catlike confusion made him tilt his head comically to the side, furthering his embarassment. When he corrected himself, however, Anthony only laughed harder, making him grow more irritated. "I-I-I'm so-sorry, hahaha, y-your f-face!"
"Yes, ha ha, hilarious. Now tell me what you need to say before I go and find my princess myself."
That sobered Anthony, at least a little bit. He was chuckling to himself and wiping a tear from his eye, and it was only then that Chat realized his arms were crossed on his chest and his tail was whipping wildly behind him. "Hehe, hoo, very well, I guess I've had my fun." What? Fun? "I just wanted to see what you would say, and what type of argument you would give."
"Wait, you – you were testing me? Why?"
"I wanted you to prove your worth, which is better than what I would expect of a womanizing hero."
"A wo- I'm not a womanizer!"
"That's not what your 'princess' says," Anthony taunted while swinging his arms around him, casually strolling towards Chat.
"O-Oh? I only flirt with her, these days," Chat confessed with a heavy blush, feeling his tail stagger nervously behind him, and he willed it to stop with no avail.
"These days, huh? So back in the day you would flirt with several people at once?"
"No, only Ladybug and Marinette, I swear." Adrien didn't know why he was trying to defend himself to his love rival, but he felt like he needed to earn this man's respect and acceptance, as strange as that sounds.
"Just them huh? Interesting…" he watched as Anthony dramatically stroked his shaved chin, watching Chat in a new perspective of some sort. After another tense moment, Anthony laughed again and slapped a friendly hand on his shoulder, which sent a distant memory across Adrien's mind of someone else. Someone much bigger, someone close- "Anyhow, I know how much you want to visit with Marbear, so I'll leave you two to it, she should be back any minute."
"Wait, what? Why would… why would you leave us alone?"
"Why wouldn't I? You're going to try to win her affections, aren't you?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"But what, kid? Spit it out," he commanded while crossing his arms again. For a moment, Adrien wanted to laugh at how much Anthony sounded like Plagg, and he regrettably thought they would get along well.
"Well… aren't you two, you know… together?"
"Together? What do you mean?"
Chat's sarcasm leaked through and he couldn't stop the epic eye roll before he continued. "What else does 'being together' mean? Aren't you two dating?" Another long moment of the two staring straight in each others' eyes passed before Anthony literally had to sit down on Marinette's chaise to control his shaking from his laughter. "I don't get what's so funny."
"It-it's just… wow, Mari told me you were dense but just… wow."
"Hey!"
"No offense, man, just noting. Anyway, your density and a few other of your… quirks, remind me of someone."
"Oh? And who might that be?"
"How about I answer a question with a question… how often would you meet two people who are fiercely protective of the same girl, end up in the same area of Paris at the same time, and even have the same appearance?"
"I don't know what you're implying." It took everything in Chat not to stutter or make any movement that would lead to Anthony suspect that he was lying, like the nervous tick he had as Adrien when he ran his hands through his hair. It was something he had to look up after Alya mentioned it, saying that when someone lies and doesn't have the luck of a poker face, they have a tick that sets them off. Adrien's is with his hair, but others can have their eyebrow twitch, their lip sweat, or even avoid eye contact. It has taken years to stop the habit, yet sometimes it still leaks through when he's not paying attention.
"Ah, so you have a poker face, huh? Or maybe Alya already taught you about nervous ticks? Clever of her to unwittingly aid a hero, huh? But I'm guessing your relationship is a lot more personal than a simple hero-fan relationship? Not as close as you are with Marinette though, more like a bro's-girlfriend sort of thing."
"I-I don't-"
"Kid, just stop with the games. I already figured out it's you, Adrien."
The confession made Adrien's blood run cold. How long has he known? How did he find out? Did he somehow see me transform?! It wasn't until a heavy hand landed on his shoulder that he realized he spaced out. Anthony was standing in front of him, gazing at him intently with a look of concern. But why? "W-what?"
"Kid, are you alright? You kind of zoned on me."
"Y-yes, I guess. But, how-?"
"How did I figure you out?" Chat could only nod at the question. "Remember my questions you tried to blow off earlier?" Another nod. "Well, turns out there isn't two, just the one. Just one person who is fiercely protective of Marinette, only one who could be in the same general area as the other with that fast of a response time, and just the one who immediately hated my guts the minute we met."
"W-w-well, I don't-"
"Kid, trust me, I'm a journalist, I know how to look for hidden clues. It also makes sense how you're so dense, seeing how you're both Adrien and Chat Noir crushing on the same… girl."
Why did he pause? No matter, I have to get to the bottom of this. "Okay, fine, whatever. Dense or not, my feelings for Marinette are real, and no one is going to stop me from confessing to her, not even you."
"Don't worry about me stopping you," Anthony stated as he dramatically threw his hands in the air in a placating manner. "I wouldn't dare disturb fate and her strange ways, you two knuckleheads are made for each other."
Wait, this isn't right. What's going on? "What are you-"
"Just know, Adrien, if you hurt her or cause harm to a single hair on her head, it won't be her or Tom that you need to fear, not even Alya. It is me. I will gladly kick your ass into the next generation. Got it?" Anthony might have spoken as if he was still poking fun, but his eyes showed the seriousness he held at the threat. He would kick Adrien's ass for real, no matter if he was a model with a gorilla bodyguard or one of Paris's heroes.
"Of course, I promise I won't hurt her."
"Good, you have my blessing." Blessing?! WHAT?! Adrien was starting to get a headache and his anger was starting to rise again, especially when Anthony began walking towards the door to leave Marinette's room. "I trust that when you take her out, you will be safe about it, right?" A stern look from him made Adrien blush, not knowing if he meant taking her to safe places, safe with being around Chat, or… that. Anthony smirked at the reaction and continued down the stairs. "Good. Take care of my sister for me, make her happy." With that, Anthony left Marinette's room, leaving Chat lost with a torrent of new information that made his head spin.
Sister. He said sister. Anthony is her brother?! She has a brother?! Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me? Why did-
"Chat?" a soft voice called, making Chat turn and notice Marinette standing halfway into her room. "Kitty, what are you doing here?"
"I- hi, princess. I just… well, I just…"
"Just, what?"
"I… why don't we sit down, I think we need to talk."
After they both sat down on Marinette's chaise, just like they do whenever they hang out late at night, with them facing each other and Marinette's legs in Chat's lap, they let a comfortable silence engulf them both. Well, for Marinette it was peaceful, but she was also confused. Chat was miserable. He already planned to confess to her in a romantic way, hoping to steer her affections away from Anthony and towards himself, but he accidentally confessed his feelings about Marinette to Anthony, and it was revealed that he was her older brother. Adrien felt like such an idiot, he didn't know if now would be the right time to confess. "Kitty, what's wrong? Your tail and ears are twitching."
"Are they?" he questioned as he reached above him, feeling his ears quiver slightly more forcefully than his body, and his tail was nearly a whip before he grabbed it and placed it under his leg. He laughed nervously which scratching the back of his head, trying and failing to find something to say to her. Anything to say to her. "I-I guess I didn't notice."
"How could you not notice? They're part of your body," she teased with a smirk, but her eyes still held concern for him. She was always able to read him like an open book, but now it just bothered him because even he couldn't read himself properly. What could possibly be running through her head at his weird actions? Without a response from him, she kept going. "I noticed Anthony leaving, did he speak with you?"
He jolted at her straightforward question, but his reaction was all the answer she needed. Sighing irritably, she stood and began pacing in front of him, hands in her hair messing up her pigtails. "Princess?"
"He's such an idiot! I don't know why he was just… well, I guess I know why he was in here, but there was no reason for him to – what did he say to you anyway?"
The fire in her eyes made Chat's spine straighten, knowing he needed to answer correctly or he would face her wrath too. "W-well, he just… he just-"
"What, kitty?" She asked him too sweetly to be intirely innocent. She had something planned, he could just feel it.
"He just wanted to know if I'm worthy."
A heavy beat of silence followed, Marinette just standing in front of him with her hair eskew and hands lifted to the side of her head. Her mouth was slightly agape, but no noise was coming out. Chat continued to sit on her chaise, cat eyes whipping at every new movement, however slight, to catch some sort of reaction from her. His tail was swaying smoothly behind him, but still fast enough to tell that he was agitated and nervous. "If… you're worthy? What is that supposed to mean?" she softly inquired.
Chat couldn't hold his own sigh as he, too, stood from his seat. "Exactly how it sounds, princess. He wanted to make sure that I was worthy of you and your attention. Of your affection."
"Kitty, what did-"
"I love you Marinette." His confession stopped them both short, both faces flaming red as they gazed at each other, motionless as the walls that surrounded them. "I love you, I have loved you for a while now, and I'm serious. I can't stand not seeing you every day, I have to know what you have planned for the day to the smallest detail. I want to hear you raving about a new stitching pattern you perfected, I want to see you make your designs come to life, I want to watch the light erupt into your eyes as a new design comes to your mind. I love watching you shower your designs with all your love, I adore how you talk about your friends and family, I appreciate your open heart to hearing about my problems… and I enjoy watching you do your victory dance whenever you win a game." That last confession made her blush and place her hands over her cheeks, knowing she was caught in one of her embarrassing habits. Chat could only smirk, knowing that the tension was slightly broken and loving how she was still adorable in this moment. "And how your tongue pokes out when you're concentrating on something really hard…"
"Stop…"
"And when your nose twitches when you're angry."
"Please, Chat, stop," she whined under her hands, now covering her eyes from seeing him.
"And how you make my heart thud deep in my chest, it's sound reverberating through my whole system." She finally peaked at him through her fingers, and he found his opening. Before she could react, he grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest, bringing her closer to himself. "What you feel, right now, is what you do to me every time we speak to each other, every time I think about you. I didn't realize it at first, but once I noticed, I was too far gone. I love you, Marinette, and I'm never going to stop."
"Kitty-"
"I don't care if you reject me, not even if you tell me there's someone else."
"Chat-"
"I realize that all of this is sudden, so I will give you a few days to think about it, but no matter how long it takes, I will wait for you, and I will still love you for the rest-"
"Chat Noir!" Marinette nearly screamed, and that finally brought him out of his passionate rant. His ears folded against his blonde locks in embarrassment over his tirade, but otherwise he didn't regret what he said. "Do you really mean all that?" she asked shyly, her ever-present blush deepening to a dark pink hue.
"Every word."
"So… say if I did have someone, what would have you done?"
"I would have still confessed to you, perhaps in a better speaking manner," she giggled at his muddering. "But I still would have confessed, and I would have given you the option. I would never force you to return my feelings, but I would be open and honest with mine, and if you wanted me, I would accept you with open arms. Hell, I thought you were with Anthony until just a few minutes ago-"
"Wait a minute… you thought I was with Anthony?"
"What do you think? A strange man meeting up with you all the time, you talking casually with him, introducing him to your friends, and especially when he stated that he loved you-"
"That was different Chat, I would hope that my own brother – wait, you heard that?"
"Of course I did, I was there!" It was only after he confessed his knowledge that he realized his mistake. He could have easily blown the whole thing off and acted as if he didn't just put himself out in the limelight, instead he reacted comically ridiculous. Chat's ears perked up high on his head, his tail curling behind him in slight fear, and his hands were covering his mouth as he glanced at anywhere but Marinette. He didn't need to look at her to see her reaction, though. Her blush long since disappeared, and she began glaring critically at him, stalking closer to somehow get the truth out of him. He tried backing away from her, but he only backed into her chaise.
"Chat," she called his name, but he didn't react more than an ear twitch. "Chaaaaat," she drawled, and he had to vigorously shake his head to prevent himself from saying anything else. "You were there? Where were you?"
He knew he couldn't hold it in much longer, and if he couldn't tell her his true identity now, then he could just tell her a half truth. Finally placing his hands to his sides, he took a deep breath to tell her his story. "I was nearby on a building, going to find the akuma when I saw you and your friends run into an alley, and I saw you arguing. I didn't want to intrude on anything so I only half-listened, but I heard when Anthony said that he loved you." He felt entirely stupid when he noticed Marinette purse her lips at him. "Don't look at me like that! Anyone would perceive it the same way I did!"
"Curiosity killed the cat, you know."
"And satisfaction brought it back! And I guess, well, that I'm satisfied now, knowing that he's only your brother, and not your boyfriend."
"And why is that?"
"Because, honestly I don't know if I could ever compete with someone like Anthony for your affections." A long pause followed, and when she didn't say anything, he continued. "Anyone could tell how much he cared for you, and you reciprocate. You two are so deeply bonded that no one could separate you, and if you were dating him, I knew I wouldn't stand a chance. I know that when you love someone and something, Marinette, that you love wholly. You're steadfast in your feelings, and nothing will shake them. Still, I tried my best to at least confess to you before I knew for sure that it was too late. Please, princess, tell me that I have a chance." Adrien knew he sounded like he was pleading, but that's exactly what he was doing. He would get down on his knees if he had to.
"Chat… there is someone." There it is. Chat felt his heart begin to grow heavy, his mind such dense fog he didn't know what to think, his whole body throbbed at the pace of his heartbreak. "He's sort of charming," she began, furthering his torment, but he wouldn't interrupt her musings with his pain. If she was happy, then he could at least pretend to be happy for her. It would serve him right, he didn't notice her feelings until she confessed to him, and now he waited too long for his chance. "Sort of handsome, not funny at all, extremely talented… but also a completely dense idiot."
Her honest description of her other someone broke him further, until he realized what she said. Why would she say those things? Shouldn't she be telling all of his best aspects? It wasn't until he felt a soft breeze on his cheek that he realized she was standing right in front of him, peering at him from under her lashes with a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. She had a small smile on her lips, and her eyes were half closed and calm as she stared at him in silence. "Princess?" Chat couldn't do more than whisper, not wanting to break the serene silence that fell upon them.
"My someone is an idiot I have also fallen in love with, and I didn't know if he felt the same. I have pretended that nothing was there, but what I should've done was tell him how I felt. I suppose I was hoping that he would confess to me first. Then again, that's putting too much hope in him."
"It doesn't sound like you have much confidence in him."
"Hmm… perhaps not, but I trust him completely. With my life… and my heart."
"Huh, do I… do I know this person?"
"I would hope you do, Kitty, because you see him quite often. I would be surprised if you didn't know him."
"Then who is-" before he could continue his question, Marinette leaned forward on her toes and lightly kissed him, lips barely grazing lips, but it was enough to set sparks through his whole system. He has been wishing against hope to get to kiss her, and he honestly thought he would be the initiator, and that the kiss would be brought up after an evening of wooing… but he was so wrong. He and Ladybug just fought an akuma who endangered Marinette's life and wrecked the city, he confessed to his princess's older brother, and she initiated the kiss. Everything was so backwards to how he thought it would go… but he doesn't regret it. He's kissing his princess! He almost wanted to swoon, but he was supposed to be the man here, so he needed to make her swoon.
Pressing himself closer to her so their chests touched, he deepened the kiss by holding her close with a hand upon her back. He tilted his head to get a better angle, deepening it further, which earned him a moan in satisfaction. Chat wanted to purr at her reaction, and he was pretty sure he was already, until she placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back. His emerald eyes opened wide, and he knew his pupils were heavily dialated due to their kiss. Marinette's cheeks were a dark pink hue, and she was smiling wistfully with her eyes closed, lightly shaking her head. "Does that answer your question, silly kitty?"
"W-wait, you love… me?"
"Who else could I love? I don't spend solitary afternoons with anyone special, I don't stay up late in the night talking to anyone else, I don't tell just anyone some of my deepest thoughts… you're the only man I can open myself up to, mind and heart. The last time I confessed my feelings to someone, I was drunk and already over him. I didn't want to ruin a friendship by confessing my feelings to you if you didn't feel the same. I'm sorry, but at least we both know."
"So… you would let me suffer the humiliation of confessing to you first?" he teased, smiling so she knew he was joking with her.
"Well, I wouldn't say this was humilating…"
"I poured my heart and soul into my rant, but before that, I confessed everything to your brother! Your brother for Pete's sake!" Chat dramatically flung his arm high in the air to emphasize his pretend exasperation, making her begin to giggle at his antics. "All that, to realize that you felt the same and didn't want to confess in case you were embarassed? Oh, the humanity!" This earned him harder laughter from her, borderline snorts, which he loved to hear. "I think, princess, that you should take responsibility for your actions."
"R-respon-sibility? What do y-you mean?" she asked while chuckling, wiping stray tears from her face.
"I mean, that you should pay for making me stress like that if you felt the same the whole time."
"And how would you make me pay, Kitty?" she asked coquetishly while batting her long lashes, knowing that was his weakness. With a playful growl, he yanked her back to him and fiercely kissed her, forcing his tongue inside. By the time the kiss was over several moments later, her knees were weak and he practically had to pick her up and sit her down on her chaise. "W-wow. Is that my punishment then?"
"No, I'll think of another, better punishment later, but I just had to do that. You don't know how inexaplicably happy this makes me to know that you feel the same for me."
"I feel the same, Chat. We have been friends for so long, we are so close to each other, I feared that my feelings for you would scare you off like they did the last time I confessed."
Adrien stilled, knowing that he did, in fact, avoid Marinette for a short while after she confessed, but then they got along just fine afterwards. How could he be so stupid? If he remembered correctly, he felt embarrassed and didn't know how to talk to her afterwards, just like now when he confessed. He doesn't remember it being so awkward with Ladybug, but perhaps because they were inseparable from the start they just knew each other, and they knew that the other wouldn't judge. "I can't imagine… but this time, I'm here to stay."
"This time? You're silly, kitty." Oh princess, you don't know. Will you turn away when I reveal who I am? "But… I have something to tell you… promise not to get angry with me?"
"Princess," he cooed, trying to relieve the visible stress from her features while rubbing her arms in a soothing manner. "Nothing you say or do will make me angry with you."
"That's what you think," she murmured, and he wasn't sure if he was meant to hear her. "Well, here it goes." With a deep inhale, she turned away from him and called for something, before a bright red orb flew towards them. When Marinette turned back around, she held the little red orb, which looked more like a kwami now that he could – wait… "Chat, this is Tikki. She's my kwami."
A few tense beats of silence followed while Chat connected the dots… literally. "Wait, you're – my lady? Is that really you?"
With a sigh, she responded, "yes, it's me Chaton. I didn't know things would get this far, so I didn't mean to keep this from you in this way. I'm sorry."
Chat wanted to console her, knowing how she's likely tearing herself apart with guilt, but his mind stopped working. Marinette, his princess, was Ladybug, his lady and hero partner. They have secretly been in love with each other since day one! He fell in love with Ladybug when they defeated Stoneheart, and Marinette fell in love with Adrien when he gave her his umbrella, and now, they have both slowly fell in love with each other since they confessed… oh, sweet irony!
Chat couldn't contain his glee any longer, and he swept her off her feet and swung her around in the air, twirling them both as he hugged her tightly to his chest. She squealed in response, but hugged him tighter so he wouldn't drop her, not that he would, and she soon began laughing too. "Chat! Let me down!"
"Never! You're mine, princess! You're my lady! My princess! My soulmate! I'm not letting you go ever again, not even to your brother." That earned him the snort laughter he loved to hear, and he only squeezed her tighter. At last, he gently placed her down and pulled her tighter to himself, prepping himself for his own reveal. "Now, princess, we have a dilemma."
"Oh? What is that, Chaton?"
"You revealed yourself to me, at long last. Can I… can I reveal myself to you?"
"After all this time, I thought you would have already released your transformation. I'm surprised you're still Chat Noir right now."
"I am too, because I've been dying to reveal myself, but I want to make sure that you're okay with this too. Just like you feared what my reaction would be, I fear what yours would be."
"Please, kitty, I was revealing myself to my partner, that was pretty terrifying. Unless… do I know you, outside your mask?"
"Yes, and you're about to find out who I am." Chat inhaled and exhaled deeply, steadying himself before he called to Plagg to release his transformation. After a bright flash of green light, he felt his familiar clothes take form around him, and he felt his hands reach out to grab hold of Marinette's hips, keeping her closeby. When he opened his eyes, he noticed Marinette gazing at him with wide eyes and an open mouth, obviously startled at who he was. "Tada!" he awkwardly cheered.
"A-A-Adrien?! Wh-what? H-h-how-"
"I told you that you knew who I was, and why I was also nervous about showing who I am… as well as confessing. I know how awkward it is, knowing that we technically already confessed to each other long before, but this is now, and we're confessing again. The question is, do we follow our hearts now and try being together?"
"Hmm… I don't know, would you be worth the trouble, Kitty?" Her smile told Adrien that she was teasing, having some fun with him, but he saw the interest in her eyes as well.
"Purrrhaps," he muttered while pulling her closer, only to feel her bury her face on his chest.
"You're impossible, Adrien."
"You mean im-paw-sible?" A playful groan came from her, and he couldn't hold back his own laugh as he swayed them back and forth for a moment, letting a comfortable silence to take hold. "So, you didn't show up until later because you detransformed on your way back?"
"That's right. I timed out, and I had to walk a few blocks to get home. It was no big deal," she shrugged.
"Still, I worried when I didn't see you in your room. Now knowing that you're Ladybug, it makes sense. Actually, a lot of things make sense now, but it still scared me not to see you in your room. I thought you pulled an Alya and ran back out to join the fray."
"Oh please, I'm not that irresponsible."
"'Oh please' yourself, you know you tend to run into things when you want to protect your friends."
"So? What's your point?"
"I was worried you did that, and you somehow got hurt or something. My heart was beating out of my chest at the possibility, and what made it worse was finding Anthony just chilling in your room."
"What? He was just… sitting in my room?"
"Yes, on your computer chair, looking like he owned the world. It startled me, and made me angry seeing that he was in your room without you there. With that, why was he in here in the first place? It looked like he was waiting for someone?"
"I-I don't know. Think he knew you would come?" she unsteadily asked, and Adrien knew immediately she was hiding something. He glared at her, trying to see if he could piece something together, and when she avoided his gaze, something clicked.
"Oh my god, does he know?"
"Know what?"
"Does he know you're Ladybug?"
"Whaaat? Pshhh, no. How would he know that I'm Ladybug?"
"You're a terrible liar, bugaboo."
"You're not that good yourself, you stray." They both smiled at each other, falling into their steady teasing they always did, even from day one. After another moment, he raised a curious brow at her, not seeming upset at the fact, and she sighed once more before speaking again. "Yes, he knows, but not because I told him. He figured it out after Sculpteur de Verre, when I had the same injuries as Ladybug. He pieced two and two together, I don't know how. Did he not interrogate you?"
"Oh, he did. I don't know where he earned his investigative skills, but it's astounding. He's even better than Alya, if he could figure us out so easily."
"He figured you out too?!"
"Yep, right before you came up. We were talking, I – well, I confessed my feelings about you to him, and he wanted to see if I was worthy of you, so he interrogated me that way. And then he pieced certain information together."
"Information such as?"
"Such as, two blond men obsessing over the same girl and being extremely protective of her."
"Oh god, he didn't!"
"He did, and I knew right then that I should've covered my trail better. Oh well, it's all said and done now. Think we can trust him with both of our identities? Ouch!" he exclaimed when Marinette punched his chest, a little hard for it to be playful, even for her.
"He might be a dummy and a big bully, but he's my brother, and if I have trusted him with my secret for this long, I would hope you would trust him too."
"Oh? And how long has this been?"
She paused, and then looked down when her cheeks blushed in embarrassment. "A few days?"
This caused Adrien to laugh at her while pulling her closer, placing his chin on top of her head. "Okay. If you can trust him so wholly with your secret, then I can trust him with mine. He is your brother, so I want to be on his good side."
"Why is that?"
"I gained his blessing once, and I want to stay in his good graces in case…"
"In case?"
"In case I'm lucky enough to get to marry you one day." His words made Marinette stop short and halt her breathing. He can't be serious, can he? Please let him be serious! "What I'm saying, Marinette, is that I can see us lasting forever, I want us to last forever. Will you be my girlfriend?"
"G-girlfriend?"
"Yes. I wanted to be more tactful with asking, but I can't help myself anymore. I've waited too long to ask you this, so I'm not going to beat around the bush anymore. I want you to be my girlfriend, and I your boyfriend. I want to eventually be your husband, and the father to our children. I want to be your forever, as you are mine. Please, Marinette. My lady, my princess, please be my girlfriend."
Marinette couldn't speak, she could hardly think. Her heart was screaming her answer, but she was just astounded by everything she recently figured out. Chat Noir, her partner since the early days, is the same boy who was her crush from so long ago, and now a man who ended up falling for her just as hard and deeply. It was a bit overwhelming. Still, she knew her answer.
"Yes," she whispered.
"What?"
"Yes! I'll be your girlfriend!" she squealed as she jumped into his arms, causing him to spin around once again in delight. They were laughing and spinning until they were dizzy, but they couldn't be happier. A noise behind them made them stop, though, to find Plagg and Tikki arguing by Marinette's computer. It appeared that Plagg was playing with something he shouldn't have, and Tikki got him in trouble. She was floating above him with a scowl while he sat with him arms crossed by the keyboard.
"Plagg… what are you doing?"
"Nothing, I don't know why you two suspect me of doing anything!"
"Oh please, Plagg," Tikki stated in exasperation. "I've known you for milennia, and you are always up to no good."
"It's because you only pay attention to me when you suspect I'm causing trouble, sugarcube," he snarked while winking her way, which earned him an eyeroll.
"Then explain why you were trying to get onto Marinette's computer? What were you trying to find?"
"I wasn't trying to get into her computer, I was simply curious if her old screensaver was still on here."
"WHAT?!" Marinette screached while breaking away from Adrien's arms, making her way towards the cat kwami. "Plagg, how do you know about that?" she whispered indignantly.
"Know about what?" Adrien asked from above.
"N-n-nothing!"
"Well, bugaboo here used to have a very… colorful screen saver. Isn't that right bugsy?"
"I-I don't kn-know w-what you're t-talking ab-about," she stammered, which made Adrien smirk.
"Well, I may not know what you two are talking about, but I'm sure I'll figure it out someday. I have a feeling that we should make our way downstairs though."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Not sure, but I have a feeling that, if Anthony is like you, he will be up to some mischief."
"Hey! I don't-"
"He's right, Marinette," Tikki cut in. "I went downstairs and he's cooking up a crazy story to your parents. Something about sneaking in with 'some boy' and he caught you doing something promiscuous-"
"He wouldn't!"
"He did," Tikki giggled. With that, Marinette ran downstairs as if her pigtails were on fire, leaving Adrien to follow after her at his pace.
When they made it downstairs, Anthony was, in fact, telling their parents that her and her boyfriend were upstairs making out, and he was adding pieces of information that was so wildly outrageous that Marinette wanted to smack her forehead… or maybe his. "When I walked in, they were nearly naked and I feared Marinette was dying! It was horrible, I was so scared, that was why I came to tell you guys, I was hoping to confirm if that was normal and if you two knew about it?"
"Anthony Dupain-Cheng!" Marinette screeched once more while marching to him and smacking the back of his head. "You're making up lies! We aren't-"
"So you admit there is a boyfriend, Marinette?" Tom asked, knowing how to rile her up.
"Is he going to show up for dinner tonight?" Sabine cut in, hiding her curiosity well.
"W-well, I haven't – well, I haven't asked yet."
"Then ask, we would love to have him join us. Isn't that right, Anthony?"
"Of course! As long as Marinette is still alive. Ow!" Marinette slapped him again.
"I'll ask him." Marinette turned with a red face and marched back to Adrien. "Adrien, would you like to stay for dinner?"
"Princess, I would love-"
"He said love! You have it folks! The boy said love!"
"Adrien! Son, you're here! If I knew you were upstairs I would have brought you two some treats!" Tom exclaimed while making his way to Adrien to clap his back in greeting.
"Not if you wanted to have happy dreams tonight." Anthony snarked, which earned him a light smack from Sabine.
"It's alright, Tom, I would rather stay for dinner actually, if you don't mind."
"Of course not, my boy! Why don't you help me set the table then?"
"Absolutely!" Adrien took a moment to make sure no one was looking before giving Marinette a quick kiss on the cheek, running before she could smack him.
After several minutes of silence with Marinette helping her mother finish cooking and Adrien helping Tom set the table, Anthony continued sitting at the counter watching everyone act normal, as if his little sister having a boyfriend was normal. Was Adrien seriously this close to them that he could drop by whenever and they would welcome him with open arms? Well, I suppose this makes it easier for them to get married someday. Suddenly, a thought reoccurred to him. "Wait, are we going to forget that he said 'love?'" he shouted.
Marinette couldn't help but to roll her eyes before muttering, "oh, brother…"
Hello again! I just hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter as much as I did! I would like to give a shout out to sabertoothwalrus (tumblr) for this concept, they gave me permission to borrow this prompt and they also made a cute drawing on their page so I would check it out!
Now, as for the moment this will be my last long story, but I hope to make some more soon. I'll have some big life changes soon, so it will take me a while to post more stories, but I would like some story prompts/ideas to help some creative juices flow! If you guys would be so kind as to suggest ideas that you would like to read from me, and I will try my best to write them! I'll see you lovely people soon! Thanks again for staying with me during this journey!