"Why did your kwami think that you had hurt me?"

As soon as the question left Ladybug's lips, Chat Noir heard Plagg's voice inside his head. Tell her about the identities, and you're going to have some nasty scratches for school tomorrow.

Chat winced at the thought, then answered Ladybug. "He couldn't say. Something about rules? My kwami's kind of weird."

Oh, I'm going to get you for that.

Plagg, shut up or no cheese for the rest of the week.

Have fun explaining all your scratch marks to your make-up artist, then.

You wouldn't.

Try me, loser.

Chat ignored Plagg's last statement and focused back on Ladybug, who was frowning.

"Well, that's still weird," she said, brow creasing as she thought.

Chat shrugged. "He also wants us to pay a visit to Master Fu."

"Fu?" Ladybug looked surprised. "Why on earth would he want that? Please tell me it's not meditation lessons."

"What?" Chat stared at her. She gave him a look that clearly said don't ask. "Okay, okay. It's probably too late now, but do you want to meet up after the next akuma?"

Ladybug sighed. She had tests to study for, and she was going to be exhausted. Even contemplating the idea of an akuma attack made her weary. "I guess."

"Well, that's settled." Chat checked his baton for the time. "It's getting kind of late, and I should probably spread the news that you're safe."

"Sure thing," said Ladybug with a yawn. She blinked, then put her hand on Chat's arm. He turned to her, a look of mild surprise on his face. She smiled up at him. "Chat, thank you very much for making sure I'm okay. I really appreciate your concern."

Chat swallowed thickly. "It's no problem. But Ladybug, please, please tell me if you think you're in danger of being akumatized. I'm sure we can work something out."

Ladybug nodded. "Deal. Goodnight, kitty." She drew her yo-yo and prepared to swing away.

"Don't I get a kiss this time?" joked Chat. He didn't really mean it, but Ladybug rolled her eyes and walked over to him. Rising to her toes, she pecked his cheek gently. Chat's mouth fell open, and she winked at him.

"There's your kiss, kitty. Be grateful."

Chat didn't realize his mouth was still open until he got home.

MLBMLBMLB

Marinette disliked many things, but she hated tests with a passion.

She was a good student and got good grades. But the trouble with her good grades was that they didn't come naturally. Some of her classmates, such as Max, Alya, and Adrien seemed to have an annoying penchant for passing tests without studying beforehand. Marinette, on the other hand, could often be found holed up in her bedroom, reading textbooks and old notes, using flashcards and doing practice quizzes online. She needed to work hard to get her grades, and it irritated her that her friends didn't.

So when Marinette sat down on Wednesday morning and saw what was written on the board, she slumped down and groaned. Test after test, for the entire day. Sure, she'd studied for all of them, but six tests all in a row was pushing it. Alya rubbed her back sympathetically.

"Cheer up, girl, it' not that bad," she whispered, trying not to laugh. Marinette lifted her head to glare at the blogger.

"Easy for you to say," she growled. "I'm sure you'll blitz them all."

Alya sighed, and pulled out her phone, checking something on the Ladyblog. Marinette continued to sit with her head in her hands until someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Marinette?"

The bluenette sat up so fast that she almost headbutted the person who'd spoken. "Yes?"

Adrien took a step back. "Uh...can I talk to you? Privately?" he asked, with a glance at Alya, who hissed.

Marinette's bottom lip trembled and her fists clenched. "No thanks, Adrien," she replied coolly.

His face fell. Marinette was obviously still upset with him. He wanted to talk to her and explain his actions, but if she didn't want to listen, then what was the point?

"Uh, sure. That's fine," he said awkwardly and began to return to his desk.

"I know it's fine," shot Marinette, still in that cool tone. Adrien went bright red but didn't say anything as he sat back down. He could feel the two girls glaring at him as he buried his head into a book, wishing that he hadn't screwed up a good friendship over this stupid dance.

Nino moved closer to him. "You okay, bro?"

Adrien shrugged. He didn't really want to talk, but it was Nino, so he answered. "I'm fine."

Nino gave him a disbelieving look and opened his mouth to continue the conversation, but at that moment the classroom door opened, and a familiar blonde sashayed over to the boys, flanked by her best friend.

"Adrikins!" squealed Chloe Bourgeois, putting her elbows on top of his notes and cupping her chin with her hands. "Wasn't last night so much fun?"

No, it wasn't, and I'm not going to the dance with you, was what Adrien wanted to say, but he knew there would be dire consequences if he did so. Instead, he sighed. "It was okay, I guess."

Chloe pouted, centimeters from his face, causing Adrien to lean back slightly. "Oh, what's got you so down, mon petit? Is something wrong?"

Nino rolled his eyes at the pet name, and Adrien tried not to gag as the scent of Chloe's expensive (and very strong) perfume enveloped him. "No, I'm fine," he replied with a tight smile.

Chloe nodded. "Well, good luck on the tests, Adrichou! I'm sure you'll pass with running colours, you're just so smart," she purred, batting her eyelashes and leaning in.

Adrien realized what she was planning to do and quickly turned his head, so her lips pressed down onto his cheek, in the exact same spot that Ladybug had kissed him last night. Chloe flounced away, smiling sweetly. Adrien waited until her back was turned, then wiped off the lip-gloss mark on his cheek. Beside him, Nino snickered.

"I'm sure you'll pass with running colours, Adrichou, you're sooo smart," mimicked Nino, raising his voice into a falsetto and capturing Chloe's valley-girl accent perfectly. "She didn't even get the phrase right!" Nino continued, his voice back to normal. "It's flying colours, not running colours!"

Adrien nodded in agreement. "I see that ten years of education have not been wasted on her," he said gravely, causing Nino to snort.

"Well, let's hope her tendencies won't rub off on you, because you're sooo smart."

Adrien punched Nino gently and began to read his notes again, smiling slightly.

MLBMLBMLB

Marinette put another pin in her mouth and continued to hem a piece of the skirt as her 'motivational' playlist blared from her phone. She'd wanted to put on her 'sad' playlist (the one that featured a lot of Adele and The Script) but Tikki hadn't let her. No negative, emotions, Marinette!

When were people going to stop saying that to her?

"Ow!" Marinette winced as she jabbed herself with one of her pins. She brought her hand to her mouth, automatically going to suck on the injured finger, a habit she'd developed years ago and hadn't been able to quit. Unfortunately, her mouth was full of pins, and when she opened her mouth, they fell and scattered everywhere.

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" Marinette bent down and began to gather up the dropped pins, glaring at her finger. "Why am I so clumsy?"

Tikki flew down to help her chosen, giggling. "Don't worry, Marinette. At least you didn't ruin your dress."

Marinette huffed. "It wouldn't matter if I did, because I'm not going to the dance," she told her kwami.

"Then why are you working on it?"

"Because I'm sick of studying and I don't want to waste all this fabric."

Tikki accepted the girl's answer with a nod, but deep down she knew Marinette wasn't telling the entire truth. Yes, she was sick of studying, and no, she didn't want to waste the fabric, but there was another reason. Deep down, in a place that Marinette refused to even acknowledge, the young superhero was still hoping that maybe, just maybe, Adrien would change his mind and that maybe, just maybe, her torn-apart dream of twirling in a ball gown with Adrien would become reality.

Marinette was still lying to herself, and it concerned Tikki. It was one step closer to being akumatized.

Tikki hoped that Marinette wouldn't take any more steps.

MLBMLBMLB

Adrien was familiar with staying up late, staring at his computer. So it was no surprise to his kwami when he came back from the cheese cupboard to find the boy staring at the Ladyblog. It was the website Adrien visited the most and featured in his history a lot. One could call it an obsession, and one would be correct. Adrien Agreste was fully, completely obsessed his Ladybug.

Too bad he'd rejected her as a civilian.

Usually, Adrien was looking at the Ladyblog because he wanted some new clue about Ladybug's civilian self. Tonight, he had a different purpose. He was waiting for news of an akuma attack, so he could transform and meet with his lady. They had a lot to discuss.

Plagg lazily flew across to his chosen, clutching a hunk of cheese. "I hope you've got your priorities in order."

"Huh?" Adrien was still gazing dreamily at an image of his partner's face.

Plagg sighed and moved to block the boy's vision. He blinked. "Plagg, move!"

"Nope."

"Oh, come on!"

"No, Adrien. You have to listen to me," insisted the kwami, as the boy groaned and slumped back in his chair.

"Fiiiiine."

"Right. Now, tell me what your first priority is, in the case of an akuma attack. And you'd better not stuff this up," he warned, taking a bite of his cheese.

"Defeat the akuma, and make sure the people are safe," drawled Adrien.

Plagg rolled his eyes at the tone but didn't comment on it. "Good. Then what?"

"Talk to Ladybug."

"About...?" pressed Plagg.

"Going to the dance with me?" tried Adrien hopefully.

Plagg gave a frustrated growl. "No! Adrien, this is way more important than your stupid dance! You're going to go to Fu's with her. Everything will be explained there. Then, depending on the situation, you might be able to ask her to your dance. Got it?" Plagg stared at the model with his luminous eyes, daring him to contradict the kwami.

Adrien simply yawned. "Got it."

Plagg sighed. "Go to sleep," he told the boy. "You have tests tomorrow, and I'll wake you if there's an attack."

Adrien complained a little but eventually dragged himself to bed, muttering something about 'bloody tests'.

MLBMLBMLB

That night, Marinette finished the skirt of her gown.

Despite Tikki's cautions about how late it was getting, and how she had school tomorrow (more tests, ugh), Marinette persevered. It was past midnight by the time she'd sewn the final hem, but Marinette didn't care. Her head was crammed full of knowledge for tomorrow's (or actually, today's) tests, so she was about as prepared as she would ever be. She'd been neglecting the dress for a while, too, and she hated to leave projects unfinished.

By the time she'd slumped into bed, fingers dotted with small pecks from her pins, it was pitch black outside, with only a few hours left until the light began to seep into the sky. Marinette was exhausted, and would most likely be sleep-deprived tomorrow, but she was taking tests for her best subjects, thank goodness. Tests were the only thing she was going to need her energy for.

MLBMLBMLB

Somewhere in the distance, shutters whirred as they opened, revealing a stained glass window in the shape of a butterfly. His face glowing in the moonlight, Hawkmoth clutched his cane and smiled out at the sleeping city. "Time to find our next victim, my little akumas," he murmured. "The early bird catches the worm, after all."

MLBMLBMLB

Tikki tugged at her chosen's pajama shirt. "Marinette, wake up!" she called desperately.

The girl didn't stir, and Tikki kept tugging and calling. Eventually, she resorted to a more extreme tactic. Picking up the girl's phone, she turned up the volume and blared the girl's favourite song, right into her ear.

"GAH!" Marinette shot up, looking around wildly. "I didn't take the sewing machine, I swear!"

Tikki dropped the phone and got in her chosen's face. "Marinette, there's an akuma!"

"What? Now?" Marinette groaned and slumped back into her pillows. "Please tell me this is just a dream."

"Get up, Marinette! Now!" insisted the kwami.

Hi, guys I had to finish this really fast because I have to go to school. I hope this is a decent follow- up from the last chapter because people were all 'I hope the next chapter is just as good' and I was like, "Argh! Pressure!" So I hope this is up to standards, thanks for reading and let me know what you thought of it! Bye!