Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir does not belong to me.
Marinette crept past her old office, readjusting the hood of her coat. She had been carefully watching the clock for the past few minutes, waiting for everyone to leave. The conference had just ended, and there was a chance someone could still be here. A part of her hoped she didn't run into anyone, but another part told her it would be good to know if her disguise worked as well as she expects.
Whatever happens, I'm coming out here with that yoyo.
She removed a small mirror from her pocket and held it in front of her, trying to see past the corner. The coast was clear. Three doors down the right side of the hall was the most important equipment room in the building. The walls were empty of windows, making the small lounge space outside the door seem dark and desolate all hours of the day. Even on the seventh floor, they had deemed the equipment inside too major to be seen by the outside world.
Behind the door was some of the most valuable top-secret crime-fighting materials in all of Paris. It was exclusive to Marinette's old workspace, Team #1.
Marinette stood her ground a little while longer, just to be sure that everyone had left. It only ever took around five minutes, tops, for everyone to leave the building after a conference. (It was 10:00 PM, after all.) M. Damocles was usually the only one left in the building at this time.
She looked back at the mirror.
Something was there, and it had the greenest eyes she had ever seen.
-:-
Adrien held his breath. He was certain he just saw a reflection, but there were no windows on this part of the seventh floor, and he certainly didn't remember a mirror being hung on the wall there. What could he possibly have seen? Everyone had left just a minute ago, and there was only one spot on this floor that had elevators, one way in, and one way out.
He watched the corner intently, hoping that if something was there he'd rather it be an akuma than Lila. Please, please, please.
Another flicker from a reflection came from down the hall. He clasped a hand over his mouth, closed his eyes and tried to shuffle lower to the ground without making any noise, but his curiousity got the best of him and he opened his eyes again.
They had the icy blue eyes, and they were looking straight at him.
-:-
Shit. Who is that?
Marinette shoved the mirror into her pocket, and muscle memory made her reach for her yoyo. She foolishly pat down her empty belt loop in a panic. Okay, I'll just have to make do.
Down the hall was the door to her old workspace, but otherwise a dead end except for the armchair, end table, vase, and flowers. Nailed to the wall was a large, simple, unframed painting.
Vase, or painting?
She heard movement from the lounge space behind her and dove for the painting. Quickly, she ripped out the nail in the wall, dug the nail through the canvas and ripped a large slit down the middle of the artwork with her hands.
The figure still hadn't moved around the corner yet, probably preparing for her like she was preparing for them. She raised the painting out in front of her. It would be useless as a shield now that there was a hole in it, but if what she was planning went right-
The green-eyed figure came around the corner. They were bigger than she anticipated, and had something like cat ears atop their head, though it was hard to see since the hall was so dim.
They threw their arm back, waiting to strike, and she told herself to be patient. At the perfect moment, they threw a punch, and she rammed the painting through their arm, grabbed it, turned herself, and hauled them over her shoulder.
Whoever they were, they were heavy. She prayed the thud made after they hit the floor wasn't loud enough to alert M. Damocles.
-:-
They shoved a boot to Adrien's throat.
"Who are you, and what is your motive?" The voice sounded feminine, and determined. It matched her eyes, which were very fierce.
He let out a weak cough, and she loosened up.
"Geez, that reminds me, I haven't thought of a name yet." He squirmed when she put pressure on his throat again.
"Motive, now."
"None of your business. You're one to talk, asking for a motive."
She sighed, but didn't press further. "If you're not an akuma, then what are you?"
"Wait, how did you know that I'm not an akuma?"
"I didn't, I was just testing my theory. You didn't say your name when I asked, and akumas usually do that. But you just confirmed it for me."
Mon dieu, je suis stupide. This girl is seriously observant, and a quick thinker. Almost like working with Marinette.
"But... really, what are you if you're not an akuma? Are you working for Hawkmoth?" she said, reaching for her pocket.
An idea struck him. She would be more vulnerable if she couldn't use her arm for balance.
"No-" he paused and grabbed her foot- "do you?"
With his legs, he knocked the back of her knee, and she crumpled to the ground.
-:-
"No, I don't! I don't work for him, either!" she said, after hitting the floor.
Marinette's heart was pounding, though mostly because things weren't going as planned. She should be out by now, not throwing punches at some weird cat-boy.
She tried to think.
"Then who do you work for? What's your motive?" he demanded.
She chose her next words carefully. "Look, if we stay here any longer, I can promise you that someone will come out here and discover us. I don't think either of us want that, so let go of me, and I won't attack you."
"You're avoiding the questions."
She bit back a growl. "I don't work for anybody. That's all I'm telling you. Now let go."
He screwed up his face in thought. She knew it was a hard decision, and if she were him right now she wouldn't trust herself either, but if they don't get past that corner-
Heavy footsteps could be heard coming up to the door of Team #1's workspace.
Cat-boy scrambled, and so did she. They both flattened themselves to the wall around the corner as much as they could, rigidly waiting for M. Damocles to pass.
The door could be heard sliding open, and M. Damocles locking it behind him. The clinking of keys being put back into his pocket, him whistling a tune while passing the corner, his footsteps getting quieter, and the ding of the elevator told them they could release the breath they were holding.
They faced one another. "You said you were against Hawkmoth," she began, slightly out of breath, "the only thing in this building with any real value is the weapons. Therefore, you must be here for them, so I have a proposition to make for you."
He looked taken aback after being read so easily.
He crossed his arms. "I'm listening."
"For tonight, and this night only, you and I team up to steal what we were going for behind that door. No more questions, no surprise attacks, just watch each other's backs until we are out of the building and we go our separate ways. Deal?" She held out her hand.
-:-
Hesitantly, Adrien shook her hand. She was wearing gloves, too. "Deal. I call the baton!"
He got to work on picking the lock with some spare bobby pins and paperclips he brought along. There were two locks, one that shackled the door handles together, and one that was actually a part of the door.
One would think that they would have better security at this point, but the building was heavily guarded and surveilled on the first floor, making sure no one suspicious could get in. At least, in Adrien's case, no one suspicious could get in without a challenge. There was no way to get into the seventh floor without going through the first.
Together, they each pushed a door and made their way in.
A/N: wow, how long has it been? Anyways, so sorry for the long wait. I've been worried about a family member in the hospital and it kinda took a toll on me (no, they don't have COVID). Thankfully they recovered! Also, it's my junior year and I'll be very busy trying to keep up with service hours, homework, AP classes, looking for colleges, etc., so my schedule is completely wacky right now. Don't be surprised if it's weeks or months before my next update. Also, before I end this note, I'm thinking about making a fic about the web series Sanders Sides when I finish this one, but I'm unsure. Would you guys enjoy that as much as I would? And as always, have a good day!
In the next chapter, I'm planning on writing:
• an akuma (not one from the show)
• a report
• a cup of tea (not the gossip kind)