When Marinette woke that morning, she stretched out with a hum, nuzzling her pillow affectionately as she pulled it up into a tight hug. As the morning light poked at her face, she cracked an eye open, staring at her pink wall. She rolled over with a hum, laying out and just taking a moment to lie still.
"Tikki," she voiced, hearing her kwami hum nearby. "I had the most amazing dream…" Marinette sat up, her messy hair bouncing about as she gazed down at her kwami, watching her crack one sleepy blue eye open to gaze up at her. "I had a dream that Adrien just became a hero and was going to work with Chat and I."
Giving Marinette a sleepy blink, the kwami smiled and shook her head, amused and fond. "It wasn't a dream, Marinette." Tikki yawned and nuzzled her pillow while Marinette went stiff.
"What," Marinette whispered.
"Mhmm… we gave him the bee yesterday. You guys stayed out for a while talking…"
"What?!" Marinette cried out, jumping up only to drop down with a wince, hitting her head on her shelf. Tikki made a face as she bounced. So much for sleep…
Marinette leaned down, gazing at Tikki with wide eyes. "I really gave Adrient the bee miraculous and he's working with us? It wasn't a dream?"
Tikki shook her head, yawning as she sat up, rubbing her cheeks to help wake up. "We talked about it," Tikki said, "we agreed that out of all your classmates, Adrien had the best potential for bee. He will be working and helping you and Chat Noir from here on out."
"Oh my gosh," Marinette whispered, sitting up and pulling her cat plush into her arms, giving the head a tight squeeze. "I'm actually going to work with Adrien."
"Don't let it get to your head too much," Tikki reminded, floating up and giving Marinette a frown. "You have a duty as Ladybug, and keeping Paris safe is far more important than spending time with your crush."
Marinette made a face before sighing. "I know, but… I am focused on it, Tikki, I only thought to give Adrien the miraculous because he has the traits to match. Him being my crush is a bonus."
"I'm worried it may get in the way," Tikki sighed.
"It won't, I can handle it," Marinette said, crawling past Tikki and heading down stairs to change and get ready for the day. "Like, I already handle a lot. I'm being Ladybug saving Paris, I take commissions, I help the bakery, stay on top of school, for the most part, and is class president whose always on task and will help students with whatever issue they need."
She stopped before the mirror, making a face at the messy bedhead. She looked at Tikki as the kwami floated behind her. "I do a lot, have been handling a lot. Enough that Master Fu thinks it's not too bad an idea for another miraculous to be active. And that's what Adrien will be, a big help! He'll be someone I can discuss plans with, someone to help me keep Chat out of trouble when he rushes in, be another support and help keep the akuma attention while I figure out what to do with Lucky Charms. It's going to be great, we're going to be such a trio!"
Tikki offered her a small smile and darted away for breakfast. Marinette hummed away, brushing her hair, straightening it, beaming as giddiness rushed through her. She was going to have help! Her responsibility load was going to get lighter! She's not going to be so drained, she's going to have more help, going to work with her two favorite boys, have a chance to better get to know her crush…
She was excited. This was going to work out. This was such a great choice. There were no cons that she could think of, and Tikki's fears, Marinette will show her that she has nothing to worry about. Marinette has been able to get herself together before and focus on the task at hand. Biggest thing she can think of is getting used to Adrien being on the team and it shouldn't take too long. She and Adrien were on speaking terms, she was talking to him easier, didn't have as many bouts of excitement.
She's got this. It was going to work out. She made a great choice and it was going to work out. When she was ready for the day, Tikki settled in her purse, Marinette was off. At school, she found something she wasn't entirely prepared for. Coming into class and seeing the glistening bee comb set in Adrien's hair, she just had to stop and take it in.
Adrien had a miraculous.
She knew who had a miraculous.
It left her excited to know that she was working with her crush till it really clicked that she knew and a pit of dread settled in her stomach.
She knew.
That was a liability she forgot. She knew, and that put Adrien and his family and his friends in danger and if she got hit by an akuma she could—
"Marinette?"
She jumped, seeing Adrien, Nino, and Alya staring at her, all frowning with brows raised in concern.
"Just a minute," she hurried out, rushing back into the hall.
Tikki was out in an instant, gazing up at her holder in concern.
"Tikki, I know," Marinette stressed, staring to pace about in the far corner of hall. "I'm a liability, a risk. I broke the rule, I know."
Tikki darted up, setting a paw on Marinette's cheek and shushing her. "Hey, hey, it's ok. Breath, Marinette, just take a breath."
Marinette did, breathing in and out, keeping her eyes on the calm kwami floating before her, offering the teen a soothing smile. "It's ok. Yes, it's a risk, but it's reassuring that you know that. It means you'll be careful. Master Fu is aware of that, he trusts that you can be trusted with knowing, that you know the danger and risk of know who a holder is. You'll be careful with that secret, will guard it. It's one of the duties of Guardians and I know you can do it, Marinette. You'll keep Adrien's secret safe. You got this."
"Ok, I can do it, just, act like normal and that I totally don't know that he's Stinger Bee. Ok, I can do that," she murmured.
With a giggle, Tikki voiced, "I thought his name was Adonis?"
Marinette shook her head, cheeks warming as she struggled to not smile. "I can't. One, that reminds me of Chat too much, two, I just… can't handle that yet." Marinette paused, frowning. She grasped her chin, murmuring, "You know, that really was pretty Chat of him. I didn't know Adrien had such an ego, and could be so forward."
Tikki shrugged, and teased, "Maybe he's like that with the girls he likes, he can be pretty forward with you sometimes."
"Tikki!" Marinette hissed, blushing.
Tikki giggled and poked Marinette's nose affectionately, "Come on, let's hurry back before people start wondering where you are."
"Right, thanks Tikki," Marinette said, opening up her purse.
"Anytime."
Marinette hurried back to class, careful to not look at Adrien and sat down beside Alya, just in time for Bustier to come in, cutting her best friend off for asking. Now that Marinette had a moment, she gazed down at Adrien, noting the gleam of the hair comb, taking it in and getting used to the sight with a soft smile.
She was going to work with Adrien, really have a chance to get to know her crush, to work with him on a team with her and Chat. And her responsibility load was going to be lighter.
This was going to be great.
Down in her purse, Tikki peeked out to Adrien's bag, her fins wagging in excitement. With Adrien having the bee, Pollen was out and active. She could see her sister again.
Biding her time, waiting till class was going and everyone was focused on the teacher, Tikki darted down and phased into Adrien's bag, eager to see the bee kwami again.
Only, Pollen was in Adrien's bag or hiding among his books, there was no pleasant hum to greet the ladybug kwami. With a thoughtful frown, Tikki concluded that she must be in his locker.
Tikki peeked out, looking around, really considering this.
It was a bit risky if Tikki was away and an akuma showed, but, usually they didn't appear this early in the morning. She had a few hours tops. Perhaps, just this once, Tikki can give into her want to see another kwami. She didn't know where Plagg was so could never see him on a whim, but with them knowing Adrien was the bee hero, Pollen was in reach.
And kwami chances of seeing their family was far and few in between.
Just this once, she'll give in and see her sister. Just a quick visit. Just a quick nuzzle and nestle. She'll be back before anything would happen.
Tikki darted away, phasing through the wall and heading for the lockerroom below, her small form filled with anticipation.
In Adrien's locker, Plagg found he had trouble napping. He laid out on Adrien's fencing gear, watching Pollen dart around him, restless and agitated. Rubbing his face with a frusrtated groan, he huffed, "Can you calm down, Pol?"
"Calm down," Pollen huffed back, pausing to turn to Plagg with a frown. "He left us in a locker."
"Yeah… I lost a right to be in the classroom after causing Rogorcop."
Pollen paused, raising a brow. "You caused an akuma?"
"Hey, it was a shiny bracelet," Plagg said with a pout.
Pollen rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Why am I not surprised…" She turned, frowning at the locker door. "Really, we should be with him, what if an akuma shows?"
"Believe me, how much that kid jumps up to an attack, we won't have to wait long. Plus, gives me more time to nap before work."
"When have you become so lazy," Pollen wondered.
Plagg shrugged and rolled over, stretching out with a content sigh, ignoring Pollen as she resumed her restless pace.
He didn't get far in his doze when he went stiff when a familiar and angry voice spoke out above him.
"What, is going on?"
He looked up seeing Tikki hovering in the locker room, her fierce blue eyes gazing down at both kwamis.
Plagg did the only sensible thing he can do when facing an angry Tikki.
"Pollen agreed to it!" he cried out, pointing to the gaping bee kwami.
As Pollen made an angry buzz, Tikki crossed her arms and narrowed eyes in a scolding manner.
Looks like this visit wasn't going to be as pleasant as she had hoped.