BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Marinette groaned pitifully as she tried to roll away from the invasive noise. She had been in the middle of a wonderful dream but it was quickly slipping away from her memory as she struggled to keep hold of the threads of fantasy and weave a new dream. Unfortunately the whole world was against her sleeping as the annoying, loud, blaring sound followed her while the sun poured into her room directly over her face. It was warm and bright on her face and lit up the darkness behind her eyelids to a bright red colour.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Marinette moaned as she buried her face into her pillow. "Five more minutes!" she begged. "Just a little longer!"
Her alarm clock, however, was heartlessly persistent.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Chat!" Marinette moaned as she reached out for her partner. "Can't you use cacta – uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Marinette interrupted herself with a startled gasp when her hand landed on the cold, empty, side of her bed, yesterday's events then suddenly clicked perfectly back into place, and she immediately shot up awake clearheaded and horrified.
She had fallen asleep!
Her plan to coax Chat Noir into a deep enough slumber so she could sneak out had utterly backfired on her as she fell asleep first! Urgh! She was such a failure at this! How was she supposed to save Paris if she literally slept on the job?! This was Chat's fault, he just had to seduce her into sleep with his nice, warm, embrace! Why did he have to be so cuddly and comfortable?!
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Marinette jumped out of her skin as she felt the cold metal of her alarm clock against the back of her neck and heard the loud, intrusive, sound roared in her ears.
"GAH!" Marinette screamed as she crashed on the floor. "Tiki!" she yelled. "Will you turn that off?!"
Tiki shot Marinette a stern, disapproving, glare before she switched the alarm clock off and gently placed it back on Marinette's bedside table. Marinette scowled back, unimpressed. This hadn't been the first time Tiki had woken her up like this and they both knew it wouldn't be the last time either.
"Thank you," Marinette said primly, and then horrified realisation smacked right into her as she let out another loud gasp. "Tiki!" she hissed. "What if Chat sees…?"
Marinette trailed off as her brain finally caught up with the last few seconds and the realisation that she was actually alone sunk in. She was Chat-less for the first time since the Akuma tried to attack her. He had vanished, disappeared, evaporated, left….he was gone!
"Chat left about an hour ago," Tiki explained, "I think he needed to get home so his parents wouldn't worry but I wouldn't look so relieved if I was you. He said something about coming back when he kissed you goodbye."
Marinette choked at that.
"He WHAT?!"
"…on the forehead," Tiki added with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "He was quite the gentleman. A gentleman that is planning to come back any second I might add."
"Wait!" Marinette cried out. "Chat has been gone almost an hour and you're only telling me this now?! Tiki!" Marinette shot out of her bed and hurriedly fumbled for her clothes. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?!"
Tiki merely replied with a flat, unimpressed, stare.
Not that Marinette paid much attention as she stumbled and staggered around her bedroom trying to wrench her t-shirt over her head. She literally tripped over while trying to put her shoes on and cried out in pain when tugged at particular nasty knot in her hair. But within five minute she was dressed and ready.
"Come on, Tiki!" Marinette said impatiently. "If we transform now we might just get the Akuma sorted before second per-"
"MARINETTE!" Mum yelled from downstairs which caused Marinette to leap out of her skin for a second time as she clutched her chest. "YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE FOR SCHOOL! HURRY UP!"
"Go," Tiki encouraged Marinette, "we can't afford to worry your parents any further. Besides we can transform in the alleyway as soon as we leave"
"Right," Marinette nodded in agreement, "let's get this over and done with before all of Paris ends up in an orgy or something!"
She shivered at the mere thought.
Determined to not let this Akuma run about any longer than she already had, Marinette rushed down the stairs. "I'm going to school!" she said quickly as she grabbed her lunch and hastily shoved it in her backpack. "Love you," she kissed her parents on the cheeks, "bye!"
"Bye darling!" Mum called back. "Have a good day!"
"And stop making boys fall in love with you!"
"DAD!" Marinette screeched as she felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. She staggered round the corner with her cheeks bright pink as she all but flung herself into the alley by the shop. "Tiki!" she called out softly. "Trans-"
"Hey Marinette!"
"EEK!" Marinette stiffened as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder but she barely had time to panic or react when she was forced to turn round and instantly met Adrien's soft, sweet, smile. "A-A-A-Adrien!" she stammered out. "What are you doing here?!"
"Sorry," Adrien smiled, "I didn't mean to frighten you but, well," he scratched the back of his neck self-consciously in that endearing way that always made Marinette's heart flutter, "I saw you were attacked by a Akuma and since Ladybug and Chat Noir still haven't sorted it out I wanted to make sure you were safe."
"Oh!" Marinette gasped. Her cheeks burned as she felt herself blush deeply under the scrutiny of Adrien's beautiful green gaze. He was worried about her! Her heart practically sang with joy, He wanted to make sure if she was okay! He was just so sweet! "Fine I'm!" she blurted out quickly. "I-I-I m-m-mean," Marinette stammered utterly mortified, "me fine – no! Fine me – gah no! I'm fine!" she managed to finally choke out. "I'm fine," she repeated much more normally, "you don't need to worry about me, thanks."
"Still," Adrien murmured, "I don't want to take any chances. I thought I could escort you to school just in case," he held out his hand to her, "may I?"
"Mpfl!"
Marinette was very ashamed to admit that her brain completely blanked at this point as she wordlessly (if you don't count incoherent squeaking) accepted Adrien's hand and allowed him to guide her out of the alleyway, down the street, and straight to school.
His hand felt so nice!
It was soft, and warm, and very strong. His fingers laced through hers perfectly as if they were meant to lock together. Marinette's heart thumped wildly as her blood hummed with excitement and her palms began to sweat a little.
Oh God!
Her disgusting, sweaty, hands were going to put Adrien off. She just knows it!
Adrien, however, didn't appear at all put off as he gave Marinette's hand a light squeeze. "Don't worry, Princess," he smiled radiantly, "I'll protect you from the Akuma."
MEEP!
Marinette almost swooned at this point.
He wanted to protect her!
It was like something straight out of romantic novel!
And then common sense slammed into her as quickly as it had left her. It stole all of her breath away as it suddenly occurred to her how uncharacteristically Adrien was behaving. Sure, he was kind and sweet as always, and sure he was looking out for her like he always done before, but he never held her hand. He never called her Princess. He never looked at her like THAT before.
He only saw her as just a friend after all.
And yet….
And yet, there was something achingly familiar about the way he was looking at her. It was the same star-struck, dazed, dreamy expression that Chat Noir wore the entire evening before. And he was up close and in her space just as Chat had been before, and he had promised to protect her from the Akuma, just like Chat had, and he called her Princess in the exact same way Chat had, all deep, and rolling the Rs like a drawn out purr, which meant…..which meant…..which meant…
….Adrien must have also been hit by an Akuma arrow too!
Urgh!
It was just her luck that her crush finally returned her feelings but only under a love spell.
Her disappointment must have shown on her face because Adrien halted to a stop as a concerned frown flickered across his face. "What's wrong?" he asked softly. "Are you still worried about the Akuma?"
"Yes!" Marinette blurted out. It wasn't even a lie, she was extremely worried about the Akuma and how much worse things could be before could finally defeat it. "I'm scared what the Akuma might do next."
Adrien smiled at that. "You have nothing to fear," he said reassuringly, "I'll keep you safe."
And then he held her hand up and pressed a light kiss on her knuckles to seal his promise.
"Guh!"
Marinette couldn't tell you what happened next only that when she finally came back to her senses she was suddenly walking down a school corridor hand in hand with Adrien.
Until she wasn't.
"Marinette!"
There was a reddish orange blur and suddenly Marinette felt her hand being ripped away from Adrien's warm grip as Alya had her in what felt like a choke hold.
"Gah!" Marinette cried out. "Alya! I can't breathe!"
"Oops," Alya grinned as she loosened her grip, "better?"
"Much."
"Oh my God!" Alya suddenly burst out. "Why the hell don't you answer your phone?!" she let Marinette go completely in order to give Marinette's arm a loud smack. Marinette's yelp of pain was completely ignored. "I've been trying to ring you all night last night!"
"Sorry," Marinette mumbled, "I was a little held up, and then I forgot to check my phone, and I woke up late so I hadn't had the chance to think about my phone let alone see if there was any missed calls."
"Urgh!" Alya groaned in frustration. "You're so hopeless!"
Marinette merely smiled sheepishly in reply.
"Never mind!" Alya said dismissively. "You can answer all of my questions right now instead! Now tell me…."
Alya trailed off as her eyes flickered to aside of Marinette where Adrien still stood. He was, of course, waiting patiently like a saint with the softest, sweetest, smiles that made Marinette's heart do acrobatics.
"Oi, Agreste!" Alya snapped. "Do you mind?!"
Adrien smiled back. "Not at all," he said pleasantly.
There was a beat of silence.
And then that beat got longer as Alya glared pointedly at Adrien who seemed completely oblivious to it and Marinette just felt plain awkward.
"Urgh!" Alya threw her arms up disgustedly. "Come on Girl," she said as she grabbed Marinette's wrist, "bathroom, now! We need to talk!"
Marinette spluttered nervously as Alya dragged her into the nearest girl's bathroom. She just caught a glimpse of Adrien's concerned face before Alya slammed the door firmly in his face.
"All right," Alya said bossily, "spill!"
"About what?"
"About what?!" Alya repeated exasperatedly. "About what, she says!" she muttered to herself as she pulled out her phone. "Oh I don't know, Marinette," she said sarcastically, "about THIS maybe?!"
She then held up her phone to reveal a video of Chat Noir swooping into Marinette's rescue before he got hit by the arrow. Marinette watched utterly mortified as Chat Noir pulled her into his arms and laid the steamiest kiss she had ever witnessed on her.
Her lips still tingled at the memory.
"Oh my God!" Marinette cried out horrified. "How the hell did you get this?!"
"Someone posted it on my blog," Alya explained. Marinette groaned with embarrassment as she covered her face with her hands. Great. So now all of Paris knows that she kissed Chat Noir. This was like that whole Dark Cupid thing all over again. "Don't worry Girl, I'll sort it all out so your parents won't know."
This did little to comfort Marinette. After how Chat Noir behaved yesterday she had little doubt that her parents already knew something had happened. Which only added to her embarrassment tenfold.
Urgh!
Please!
Someone, anyone, just kill her now!
"Sooooooooooooooooooooooo….." Alya dragged out playfully as she nudged Marinette. "Off the record, just girl to girl, between us friends…how was he?!"
"Meep!"
Alya laughed, delighted at Marinette's mortification as Marinette could see her reflection turn scarlet.
"That good, huh?"
"Chat Noir is a fantastic kisser!" Marinette blurted out quickly before her embarrassment could inhibit her. "My legs literally forgot how to function!"
"Yowser!" Alya smirked. "So does this mean you've moved on from Adrien?"
"No way!" Marinette snapped indignantly. "My heart belongs only to Adrien despite what my treacherous lips might think."
"Uhuh," Alya nodded patronisingly, "me thinks the Lady doth protest too much."
"I am not!"
"Just proving my point," Alya said lightly. Marinette spluttered incoherently which was, as always, duly ignored by Alya has her face darkened into a concerned frown. "Speaking of Adrien," she said seriously, "he was all over you today. Girl, have you thought that it might be possible that he-?"
"Got hit by the Akuma and I was the first person he saw?" Marinette interrupted. "Yeah," she answered softly, "that's the most likely scenario."
"Ah Girl," Alya said sympathetically as she gave Marinette a comforting side hug, "one of these days he will see you for the beautiful and amazing person you are and fall head over heels for you."
"I doubt it," Marinette murmured as she leaned into Alya's hug, "but thanks for saying it. Right now though," Marinette straightened up with determination, "I'm just trying to keep my wits about me and not let myself get carried away by it all. I don't want Adrien to avoid me after the Akuma is purified because he did something he regrets."
"Good on you!" Alya said encouragingly. "But you might want to work on the whole keeping your wits about you thing. You didn't look totally with it when you arrived at school."
Marinette groaned in embarrassment at that.
But before she could say something or have Alya reveal anything else incredibly embarrassing the bell rang for class. "C'mon," Alya pushed the door open, "we best be going before we end up late. Again!"
They barely stepped out of the bathroom before Marinette immediately crashed into Adrien. Startled by the fact that someone was right there in the door way, Marinette instantly stumbled backwards. She would have almost crashed on the floor if it hadn't been for Adrien's quick reflexes (must be from fencing!). Without a second thought he had swooped in and pulled her back up on her feet with his hands firmly planted on her hips as he suddenly hauled her close.
Marinette felt utterly dumbstruck as all she could focus on what how the warmth of Adrien's hands seeped through her clothes and scorched her skin, the strange cheese-tinted comforting scent that surrounded her, and how dazzling bright his beautiful green eyes were as they bore right into her soul.
"I….you…ah…erm….guh!"
Marinette could have sworn she heard Alya face palm at this point.
She couldn't be sure though as she was totally taken in by the unusual, and yet strangely familiar, smirk that Adrien had on his face. Her heart fluttered as her stomach twisted itself in knots and her palms immediately started to sweat all over again.
Crap! She was a mess!
"What are you smirking at, Agreste?" Alya demanded. "And why exactly were you hovering round the ladies like a creeping Tom?"
Adrien didn't look at all upset by Alya's aggressive attitude as his smirk deepened even more. Marinette felt her stomach do a lurch as if she was on a rollercoaster at the mere sight of it. She has never seen Adrien smirk before. Never! He was always so sweet and polite with his smiles. And yet she could have sworn she had seen that damn sexy smirk before somewhere.
Perhaps a photoshoot?
"Nothing," Adrien said so innocently that it sounded insincere, "and I was waiting for Marinette." His smirk had vanished now to his usual soft, sweet, smile and Marinette instantly turned into a puddle of goo. "I wanted to walk you to class," he said sweetly as he held his hand out to her, "may I?"
"Uh-huh!"
Marinette didn't hesitate as she gave her hand to Adrien (and once again she could have sworn she heard Alya do another, loud, over the top face palm) and before she could at least make an attempt of sounding like a normal human being, Adrien lifted her hand up and grazed her knuckles lightly with his lips.
….and she couldn't tell you a single thing that happened afterwards as she completely blanked out until she found herself at the classroom door and could hear Chloe's loud, demanding, voice on the other side of it.
At this point her survival instincts kicked in as she stiffened into a near battle stance. She had no doubt that from the moment she stepped through that door Chloe would have her pushed to ground in order to plaster herself onto Adrien's side. As Adrien opened the door Marinette closed her eyes, took a deep breath, took a step forwards and –
….nothing.
Absolutely nothing happened.
Marinette's eyes shot open in surprise as she took in the bright, nearly full, classroom to find herself still standing hand in hand with Adrien.
Chloe hadn't noticed at all.
Which was weird.
As in the sky turns magenta pink, pigs start flying, hell freezes over, and other apocalyptic signs kind of weird.
Determined to not be caught off guard Marinette instinctively scanned the room for the obnoxious blonde and her mouth dropped wide open as she caught sight of Chloe completely plastered to Kim's side. Her arms were tight round his stomach as her blonde head rested on his forearm like some sort of devoted girlfriend.
Chloe and Kim!
Chloe and Kim!
CHLOE and Kim!
Marinette slowly reached down and pinched her leg just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The pain was instantaneous and she had to bite down her lip to prevent a yelp escaping and therefore catching everyone's attention.
(Because something told her that Adrien might, just maybe, offer to kiss it better for her and if he did that then she would definitely spontaneously combust and it would be very difficult to save Paris when she's nothing but a pile of ash.)
She wasn't dreaming.
This was really happening.
The Akuma really was getting to everyone in the city.
"…so I have told you once, and I won't tell you again," Chloe sneered down at Max, "I am going to sit by my beloved not you. Now," she growled, "move!"
Max stared back unimpressed. "No," he said flatly.
"Oh come on, dude!" Kim cried out. "Be a mate and let my girl sit next to me."
Chloe let out an unnaturally sweet, girlish, giggle as she twirled the end of her ponytails. "Oh!" she fluttered her eyelashes. "Kimmy-kins!"
Marinette turned to meet the eyes of an equally gobsmacked and disgusted Alya. "Kimmy-kins?!" they mouthed at one another, horrified.
Alix could be heard gagging loudly and Max looked utterly revolted while Nathaniel, Sabrina, Ivan, Nino, and Mylene all looked as if they were wishing they were elsewhere. Kim, however, just puffed his chest out proudly.
"You know," Max said calmly, "that as soon as the Akuma is purified she'll revert back to hating you."
"No I won't!" Chloe protested as she wrapped her arms tightly round Kim. "How could I ever hate my big, cuddly, Kim-bear?"
This time Alix wasn't the only one who gagged.
Kim-bear?!
Marinette didn't want to know, in fact if she could have her brain scrubbed with bleach so she could forget the last ten seconds she would be forever grateful.
"I'm not moving," Max said stubbornly, "and before you say anything," he glowered at Kim who looked furious, "I am being a good friend to you by refusing to enable the future heartbreak you're setting yourself up for."
"Fine!" Chloe barked. "Sabrina!" she clicked her fingers commandingly. "You're swapping with Kim. I will sit with my Kimmy-kins if it's the last thing I do!"
Predictably Sabrina obeyed Chloe without a second thought and Marinette (and the rest of her class) were inflicted with the sight of Chloe and Kim snuggling at Chloe's desk.
Marinette shuddered.
Max was so right.
This was going to go so wrong so quickly as soon as she purified that Akuma.
Poor Kim.
But before anyone could say anything about the gross Kim and Chloe situation the classroom door opened again and Marinette (and Alya and Adrien) all turned round in time to see Rose and Juleka stepping in.
As they held hands!
Marinette's eyes widened as she took in the way that Rose's and Juleka's fingers were locked together. Her cheeks burned as she was instantly reminded how her own fingers were entwined with Adrien's in the exact same way. Rose's hair was messier than normal as if someone had run their fingers through it while Juleka's pale cheeks were marked with a pale pink tinge in the exact shape of a pair of lips.
Oh dear…
"Excuse us," Rose said shyly as her own cheeks flushed into a dusty pink colour, "we got a little held up."
There was some awkward mumbled apologies and shuffling as Marinette, Adrien, and Alya tried to get out of Rose ad Juleka's way. Eventually they all managed to get to their seats and settled down just as their teacher walked in.
"Jeeze!" Alya muttered into Marinette's ear. "I hope Ladybug defeats this Akuma soon before things get way too awkward!"
Marinette does too.
The question was, though, when was she going to do it?
She had initially planned to slip away on the way to their next class and hunt down the Akuma. Unfortunately that plan was put to an immediate halt as she barely stood up from her desk only to be accosted by the gentlemanly Adrien, who insisted on holding her books and hand the entire journey to their next class.
As you can imagine any coherent thought had been utterly lost and it wasn't until someone point midway through Marinette's next lesson that she realised she lost her opportunity to get away.
And that somehow she ended up in the seat right next to Adrien!
She could not tell you a single thing her teacher had said during that lesson. She was too busy being keenly aware of Adrien's body heat as his firm, strong, leg pressed itself against hers. Every time she dared to glance at his way she would meet an endearing grin that got her all flustered and incapable of thinking let alone requesting a bathroom pass so she could make her escape.
This happens again during their third lesson.
Break was also a total loss as the only thing she could muster was a loud, shrill, squeak as Adrien kept an arm slung round her shoulders the whole fifteen minutes
And at lunchtime, Marinette once again realised how difficult it was to eat when someone is holding your hand under the table.
And her afternoon lessons were pretty much a repeat of her morning lessons only now Adrien was holding her hand beneath their shared desk too.
Any other day she would definitely be on cloud nine at being able to hold the boy she has always love's hand but knowing that this wasn't real and that she had to solve the situation before it got worse left a heartbreakingly bittersweet taste in her mouth.
She had to get away before she lost her mind completely.
Her chance came he moment the bell rang to indicate the end of the school day without a second thought (because if she gave it just millisecond of thought she would have never done it) Marinette wrenched her hand away from Adrien.
"I'vegottogotothebathroom!" she garbled squeakily. "Bye!"
And before she could let her embarrassment consume her, Marinette whirled round and bolted right out of the classroom door, down the corridor, and straight into the nearest girl's bathroom.
"I did it!" she gasped. "I got away!"
She then collapsed against the wall and clutched her chest as she tried to catch her breath again.
"Oh well done, Marinette!" Tiki cried out encouragingly. "Now let's hurry and transform before the Akuma really causes some serious damage."
"One…." Marinette wheezed out, "…second…"
It took more than one second before Marinette's heart finally settled down to a normal rhythm and her breathing returned to normal but as soon as it did she straightened up and gave Tiki her best, battle-ready, determined gaze.
"Right!" she nodded. "Tiki! Trans-"
The bathroom door swung open and Tiki barely zipped right back into Marinette's bag before a hesitant Mylene stepped in.
"Oh!" Mylene cried out softly. "Hi Marinette!"
"Hi Mylene!" Marinette replied way too perkily as she tried to look as normal and casual as possible (and probably failing epically). "How are you?"
"I, erm, well," Mylene shot a desperate look at the bathroom stalls and then back out to the bathroom door before she shuffled quickly towards Marinette, "Adrien is waiting for you outside," she whispered as her cheeks slowly turned pink, "can you please go and see him I don't think I can pee if I know he's still out there listening in."
"Oh!" Marinette squirmed awkwardly. Now she felt embarrassed, and a little frustrated, as she felt her own cheeks heat up and started to look anywhere but in Mylene's direction. "Sure!" she squeaked. "I'll be right out this minute!"
Mylene looks so relieved that Marinette feared she might start to cry. "Thank you Marinette!" she whispered gratefully.
And with that, Marinette had no choice but to sheepishly shuffle out of the bathroom so Mylene could pee in peace. Just as Mylene said he was, Adrien was right outside by the door with a worried expression plastered on his face. It melted away into the sweetest, most heart racing inducing, smile she had ever seen the moment he saw her though.
Oh!
She was so not going to survive this Akuma!
"H-h-h-hi!" she stammered out. "I, erm, ah, had to pee!" she inwardly groaned with embarrassment. "Sorry!" she tacked on quickly as she tried to push past the cringe-y moment as fast as possible. "I….erm….err…don't you have a photoshoot or something?!" she cried out despairingly.
Because surely, surely, he had fencing practise, or a Chinese lesson, or a celebrity appearance on some show, or a photoshoot, or just something, anything, to keep him away from shadowing her every step. To give hr a moment to breath, transform, and purify this Akuma before she snapped completely and snogged the living daylights out of Adrien Agreste and thus receiving a sexual harassment complaint once Adrien was back to his normal self and filled with revulsion and regret about today.
"Yes, I do," Adrien rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously, "but the Akuma still hasn't been stopped and I don't want to leave you alone."
"I think I'll be fine!" Marinette said desperately. "It's been almost twenty four hours and the Akuma hasn't come back for me!"
Adrien shook his head stubbornly. "I don't want to take the chance," he said, "you're too precious to me."
Marinette melted instantly at that as all of her resolve to do the right thing evaporated away.
"Come on!" Adrien grasped her hand. "We're going to be late!"
"Wait," Marinette blinked as Adrien began to drag her out of school, "what?!"
She had no time to make any further protest or argument as Adrien suddenly forced them into a run straight out of the school and right into his limo. He had all but pushed Marinette into the elegant, over the top, car before he jumped in after her and slammed the door closed behind him.
Adrien's bodyguard gave one, long, slow, bewildered blink before he started to drive without even asking what was happening.
"A-A-A-Adrien!" Marinette squeaked out. "Where are we going?!"
"I have a photoshoot," Adrien replied unruffled, "you can sit with the crew, safe and sound, while I work and then maybe," he peered hopefully at Marinette with the sweetest of shy smiles, "we could eat together afterwards."
Marinette's cheeks burned furiously she was beginning to suspect that she had a permanent sunburn look to her face now. "Maybe," she mumbled.
If she hadn't found a new way to escape and defeat the Akuma before then.
Which she will!
She simply couldn't survive another day of this. The Akuma was going to be purified tonight or she will die trying!
Surely Adrien would be so busy with the make-up team and the stylist, and the photographer demanding his attention, that he wouldn't notice when Marinette slipped away.
Marinette was so busy plotting her new escape plan that she hadn't noticed that Adrien's hand had slipped through her hair as his palm pressed lightly against her cheek. It was only when she suddenly felt herself being tugged closer to Adrien and his lips leaned in towards hers that Marinette realised what was happening.
Her eyes widened in horror.
He was going to kiss her!
This was so not how she wanted her first kiss with Adrien to go! With him under a love spell as they sat in the back of his limo with his bodyguard witnessing the whole thing, and –
Chat Noir!
It might have been her guilt-induced imagination but Marinette could have sworn she saw a flash of black from the corner of her eyes and before Adrien's lips could reach hers she instantly shoved her hand between them.
His soft, lovely, lips grazed the back of her hand and set her skin aflame.
Marinette tried to ignore the desire bubbling up in her stomach as she tried to focus on the actual problem at hand. Chat might be shadowing her too! She had almost forgotten him with all the hand-holding induced emptiness of her brain that happened today but that didn't mean the enchanted Chat Noir forgotten about her!
He could be watching her right now!
The love spell could induce some green-eyed monster jealousy on him and he might come crashing through the roof any second!
He might challenge Adrien to a duel for Marinette's hand!
The thought terrified her! The mere idea that Chat Noir might tear Adrien to shreds with his claws or Cataclysm out of Akuma-induced jealousy or Adrien, who was so talented, defeating Chat at fencing before he drove his sword through –
No!
The thought of the two most important guys in her life – barring her Dad of course! – fighting each other to death made her sick to her stomach
Adrien blinked at her as a look of bewildered hurt crossed his lovely face.
It was then Marinette realised that his shoulders had tensed up as if he was prepared to be rejected the worst way possible.
"I, erm, don't," Marinette swallowed the lump in her throat, "think this is a good idea."
She titled her head towards Adrien's bodyguard's direction.
"Oh!" Adrien's eyes widened in realisation as his shoulders suddenly slumped in relief. "That's all right," he smiled dismissively, "the Gorilla won't mind."
Judging by the raised eyebrow on the Gorilla's (that surely couldn't be his real name, right?!) face, he certainly did mind.
And Marinette minded very much too!
She hoped when she and Adrien finally get together without an Akuma-induced enchantments that Adrien won't actually expect her to make out with him while his bodyguard watched
Because that will certainly end with a resounding no!
"I mind!" Marinette said primly, "it's….embarrassing!"
"Oh, okay," Adrien replied easily, "could we…..could we still cuddle though?" he asked hopefully.
His beautiful eyes were now shining hopefully as he widened them into the perfect, biggest, kitty eyes she had ever seen before in her life.
Manon couldn't beat those kitty eyes!
It was so unfair!
She was so doomed!
"Of course!" Marinette's resolve broke down instantaneously. "I don't see why not."
Adrien grinned with beautiful boyish charm and before Marinette could die a gloopy, flustered, mess he pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her hair. Her cheek rested on his shoulder as she breathed in his comforting scent and wrapped her own arms round his waist.
This was pure heaven.
And, as always, way too short to be satisfying because before she knew it Adrien was surrounded by make-up artists and hair stylists and other important fashion crew members while she stood awkwardly aside.
She had attempted five escape attempts within the first hour only to have Adrien instantly notice she was leaving (because apparently he hadn't taken his eyes off of her the entire time which was enough to make her want to squeal in her pillow) and rush over to her to demand where she was going and what was wrong and was there anything he could do to make her feel comfortable?!
Marinette could only hope she made some sort of coherent, polite, reply but she was so flustered each time that she couldn't remember how she had responded.
Her sixth attempt was stopped by Nathalie, Mr Agreste's personal assistant, who had lost all patience.
"Will you sit down and stop moving!" the woman hissed furiously. "You are distracting Adrien and prolonging the shoot."
"Sorry," Marinette mumbled.
"Last chance!" Nathalie declared. "If you distract Adrien one more time I will have you removed from the set and will refuse Adrien's requests of bringing a friend ever again."
It was so tempting to act out so Nathalie would do exactly that.
It would give her the perfect escape route to rush off and transform without hurting Adrien's feelings if Nathalie kicked her off the set.
Unfortunately some sort of sinking feeling in her stomach told her if that did happen then Adrien would probably throw a fit on Marinette's behalf and leave the set too.
Which would cause him more problems in the long run with his father.
And Marinette couldn't do that to him just because he was under a spell.
It wasn't fair!
So instead Marinette sat back down and crossed her arms as she desperately tried to think of another plan.
Maybe while Adrien was busy changing clothes she could just slip away? She doubted Nathalie would let him run after her if she did that…
"Oof!" a soft, familiar voice cried out just as something clattered on the ground. "Oh dear! I appear to be stuck."
Marinette glanced down and almost jumped out of her skin which she realised that Master Fu was sprawled out on the floor right in front of her.
Master Fu!
Her saviour!
He could help her keep both Adrien and Chat Noir distracted so she could transform and defeat the Akuma.
"Ah!" she cried out as she jumped to hr feet. "Here! Let me!" she fumbled slightly as she helped Master Fu back to his feet and picked up his walking stick too.
"Thank you, child," Master Fu said loudly and a tad melodramatically (someone enjoyed playacting a little too much), "you're so kind!"
"Oh!" Marinette flushed. "It's nothing."
Especially since Master Fu was more than capable of getting back on his feet without any help, and they both knew it.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Marinette added.
"Yes," Master Fu said, every bit the stereotypical pensioner, "could you please be a dear and escort me to the bench so I could sit down for a moment?"
"Of course!" Marinette let Master Fu lean on her as if he was actually a weak, old, man incapable of walking and quickly they began to make their way to the nearest bench. "Oh Master Fu I am so glad to see you!" Marinette whispered hastily. "I really need your help!"
"I'm glad to see you're safe, Marinette," Master Fu murmured, "Your lack of response to this latest Akuma had me worried. How can I help you?"
"Both Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste have been hit by the Akuma and have now fallen in love with me!"
"Oh my!" Master Fu smiled. "What a dilemma."
"It is!" Marinette stressed. "Neither one of them will let me out of their sight! I haven't had the chance to slip away and transform at all!"
"I see that is quiet troubling," Master Fu replied softly though he looked highly amused for some reason, and Marinette did not appreciate it! Her dilemma was not some joke! "And how exactly am I supposed to help you, Marinette?"
"I need Rena Rouge," Marinette blurted out quickly. "If she could cast an illusion of me to distract Chat and Adrien then I can slip away, transform, and purify the Akuma."
"Hmmm…." Master Fu hummed thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin, "I don't think that's very wise, Marinette. What if Hawk Moth decides to take the Fox Miraculous?"
"We won't let him!" Marinette said defiantly. "We've stopped him from taking our own we can defend a third."
"But young Chat is compromised, you said so yourself," Master Fu pointed out calmly, "and currently he is keeping you quite distracted. It would be unfair to put such a burden on Rena Rouge's shoulders."
"But….but….but….How else am I supposed to get away?!"
Marinette was a little ashamed to admit she wailed that last part rather despairingly. But come on! She has had a very long twenty four hours where beautiful, blonde, green-eyed boys kept trying to kiss her and hold her hand and cuddle up to her. She was frazzled! Master Fu was lucky she was speaking coherently at all right now!
"You know, Marinette," Master Fu said quietly, "it's been worrying me that I have yet to have a meeting with Chat Noir."
"Eh?!"
What did meeting Chat Noir have to do with this situation?! Was Master Fu going to sit on him so Marinette could run off? Actually….that wasn't a bad idea….
"The Ladybug Miraculous and the Black Cat Miraculous rely on maintaining a balance," Master Fu explained gently, "the slightest imbalance between the two can cause the greatest calamities."
"Meep!" Marinette squeaked, horrified.
"Yes," Master Fu nodded gravely, "and the fact that you have been keeping our meetings and, I strongly suspect, the information I have provided you with secret from Chat Noir is incredibly dangerous. Such an imbalance could sow seeds of distrust and from that…"
He trailed of ominously but Marinette didn't need filling in on the details she could just see Paris burning in her mind's eye at the mere thought.
"So have you considered," Master Fu said pleasantly, the sudden change of his tone almost caused Marinette fall off the bench, "that being open and honest may just be the answer to your situation?"
"But Tiki said we had to keep our identities secret!" Marinette protested. "It's a security risk if we knew who one another was. What if an Akuma manages to brainwash one of us, again?!"
"There are many positives to keeping your identities secret from one another," Master Fu agreed sagely, "but there are many positives to having a true, honest, and open partnership with one another. For example you would not be in this situation right now."
Marinette slumped in defeat at that.
Master Fu was right, of course, but at the same time….telling Chat Noir who she was?! The idea just filled her to the brim with anxiety as all the worst possibilities ran through her mind. From the very worst that revealing her identity resulting in her loved one's deaths to Chat Noir rejecting her entirely as his partner to just, quite simply, being teased to death.
"Food for thought," Master Fu murmured as he patted Marinette's knee comfortingly, "now then I best be going. I believe your young man is getting quite anxious about your whereabouts."
Marinette had no time at all to process that as Master Fu vanished down the path with speed an old man shouldn't have just in time for Adrien to rush towards her. His lovely face was pale with worry.
"Marinette!"
"Mpfl!"
Marinette choked on her own tongue as Adrien reached out, snatched her hands up, and suddenly pulled her up from the bench and right up against his firm, strong, body. A single ant wouldn't have been able to get between them and all that human contact with the boy she has always loved had caused a temporary stroke as Marinette forgot how to breathe let alone everything else!
"I was so worried about you," Adrien murmured. His warm breath blew gently against Marinette's forehead which did absolutely nothing for Marinette's poor nerves! "Where did you go?"
"I, erm, you, guh, see, old man!" Marinette garbled out. "Yeah!" she squeaked. "There was this old man that tripped and needed help." Marinette wished Master Fu stuck around so she didn't look like a gigantic liar. "He's okay now and left."
Adrien gazed down at her adoringly which did nothing to help the butterflies in Marinette's stomach. "You're so kind," he said admiringly, "it's one of the many things that I love about you."
Marinette's breath hitched at that.
"I….I….I…guh!"
Damnit!
Marinette found herself totally incapable of speaking or moving (what's new?) as Adrien cupped her cheeks with his hands. Her eyes widened as his own fluttered to a close while he leaned in close. Unwittingly, Marinette's own eyes closed as she tilted her head invitingly. Her brain – whatever was left after today's events – was screaming to be rational and that she shouldn't let this kiss happen because Adrien will only regret it come tomorrow but her body and heart were ignoring the message as she drifted closer and closer towards Adrien and her heart rate soared through the roof. Their lips were almost brushing against one another and then….and then….and then…
….and then the Akuma decided to attack.