Today was the day.
Her room was empty of baggage and she was ready to face him. With her best friend at her side. In a secluded place that was commonly called a bedroom. Oh my-
Nope.
She was going to be witty and talkative and normal…
Who was she kidding; she was really just praying with all her heart that she wouldn't fall flat on her face every time she looked in his general direction. She made a checklist of different ideas for the skit to distract her from her impending doom, before remembering that Alya had already written a rough draft with Nino the day before. Now she was probably stuck with whatever rom-con her friends had dreamed up.
Not seeing Chat the night before doesn't help: she'd wanted to talk to him, to laugh about it, because even though she knew him as a ridiculous cat she also knew him as one of her closest friends and one who she could trust with secrets, and dumb problems like boys.
(Well, some of them)
And then her kitty had gone and ditched her on patrol.
Well, maybe not ditched her; kitties where entities of their own and very independent.
Maybe he'd done it earlier, or later, on his own.
Of course.
She should expect nothing less of him.
Maybe she could talk to him tonight… After she survived Alya's house.
Rain started to fall as she left the warm walls of the bakery. She breathed out relief that Alya didn't live far as she felt the first raindrops.
Maybe it would have been better if she had, because as the rain fell hard, soaking Marinette's clothes, running down her skin, embracing her in its passionate downpour, it seemed to wash away her worries and fears, if only for a moment. Maybe if Alya'd lived a little farther away, a certain someone wouldn't have chanced seen her staring so wistfully into the streets as she listened to the pounding of raindrops on the rooftops around her.
But someone does see her.
"Hello, Princess!"
Her eyes flutter wide.
"Chat!"
He smiles at her; she glares at him.
He had no right to look that smug after ruining her moment.
"Going somewhere?"
"Actually, yes."
They walk, and he miraculously produces an umbrella from behind his back.
"Where?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you what you're doing talking to a civilian when you probably have a city to save?"
"Ah, but there aren't any akumas out today, and you are not any ordinary civilian."
She stops short as they reach the end of a street.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, no ordinary civilian has practically defeated at least two Akumas with virtually no superhero assistance."
"That was only-"
"Yes yes, half a dozen times, you don't need to brag. I'm impressed."
She had to be more careful; Chat could be suspicious.
Since when did that stupid cat talk to her as a civilian?
"Well I'm almost to my destination. Kitty better scram."
"You don't want take me with you?"
His kitty ears sagged and his mouth drooped in mock dejection.
"No, absolutely not."
"Well, see you around Princess."
"Boy, I hope not."
He smirks, and disappears into an alley, as street cats do.
Her head shakes as she watches him go. Silly cat.
In front of her was the hotel where Alya lived; well, she lived somewhere in it, anyways. It wasn't busy, but there were a few regulars who she recognized, sitting on benches with steaming plates of food in the classy hotel restaurant. She greets the ones she knows, and then slips through a door labeled 'Staff'. This door would lead to the kitchen, which was always a hub of activity. Marinette dances around the chefs and dishwashers, waitresses and managers until she reaches the stairway to the upstairs.
Even with the sounds of the kitchen crowding her ears, she can make out the distinctive sounds of her friends laughter.
Apparently, she's late.
It was that stupid cat's fault.
Although she doubts they'd take that as an excuse; she had penchant for being a little late. When she finds Alya's room, she sees two figures lounging together on the floor, exploring a mess of papers.
"Wow Adrien, that was fast."
"I'm not Adrien."
Nino looks up from the paper he'd been editing when she came in.
"Oh. Sorry Marinette."
Alya also looks up from next to him.
"Hey, sit down, girl!"
She pats the rug beside her eagerly.
She sits, and the anxious anticipation about being near Adrien, which Chat and the rain had made disappear, returns.
"So, where's Adrien then?"
"Oh, he volunteered to pick up some props for us is all. Shouldn't take too long."
"…Oh."
She looks at her hands; her time of reprieve would not last long.
"I've returned!"
It was Adrien.
There he stood in his angelic beauty, sopping wet and grinning like the dork he was.
Marinette really couldn't help the blood that rushed to her face when as she watched him remember himself and smile guiltily at his over dramatic entry. The other two were both laughing, but Marinette was pretty sure Alya was laughing at her reaction.
Oh, she'd show her.
"Hi Adrien."
She says it without a stutter, even managing some eye contact before looking back at her hands.
"Hi…Marinette."
He shuffles over to sit next to her.
She does not squeal, but she wants to.
"Here are the props."
He says, leaning over Marinette, handing a grocery bag of things to Alya.
"Thanks."
She is smiling, a little too big Marinette thinks.
"Hey, I was happy to do it."
His eyes slide over Marinette, but they are somewhere else before she can catch him.
Strange.
"Alright!"
Says Alya, taking charge.
"Since everyone's finally here, let's figure out what we're going to present Miss Bustier on Monday."
She nods to Nino.
"Okay, so last night me and Alya here spent like… until one in the morning working on this, and then she made me go home, and—"
"If there is anything good in this mess of papers, you can all thank me!"
Nino pouts at her and she sticks her tongue out at him; such children.
While the two nerds that were Alya and Nino obliviously flirted with each other, Marinette and Adrien look at each other with a sigh. This project was doomed.
Reluctantly they each grab a stack of unevenly thrown script, and attempt to make sense out of it, since they were the only responsible members of this group.
'And this kiss totally bested them all.'
{Ladybug pulls Chat by the bell, we get some real action here!}
"What!?"
Marinette's face does not pass go, and certainly does collect two hundred dollars; it goes straight to red.
Were they trying to kill her? Yes, yes they were.
Adrien looks up from his page, his face also a little pink.
"Um, are you okay?"
All she can do is hand it to him, and in two seconds his face replicates her own.
"Oh, look Nino. They're blushing!"
Now they notice.
"Huh, you're right Alya. Maybe they do have chemistry."
She had thought her face was as heated as it could get, but nope, now her face is fire personified. She doesn't dare look at Adrien; after all she is supposed to be getting over him and… she needs help. She shakes her head, trying to rid her face of all the blood that's flooded her complexion. Coughing to clear her throat and focus her brain, she reminds herself that she is Ladybug and she can do this.
"How long do you expect this thing to be?"
"Oh, about fifteen minutes."
Oh. My. Nope.
She can do this.
"So I haven't read the whole script, but I can already tell the romance is high."
Understatement.
"Do you have a strong comedy light to it?"
"Um, we wrote it last night and we don't really remember much of it."
Aw, how cute, they were lying in sync.
"Oh, okay."
Now she turns to Adrien, who is watching everything unfold very cautiously.
"Since we're both obviously signed up to be the leads, that means you'll be Chat; you think you can handle that?"
He would need to answer this one very carefully, because if he failed her here, she was really sure she wasn't going to be able to act at all on Monday. Maybe he senses this, because he looks at her hesitantly, and then a devious glint appears in his eye.
"Paw-sitivly."
And he passed.
But that is a horrible pun and he's smirking.
So she glares.
"Wow! You guys are perfect!"
Alya is clapping her hands wildly because their impressions are spot on, and this is best friend and said best friend's crush and it's perfect. She can't wait till Monday and she really can't wait to see these two rehearse the whole thing, so she sets them down with their respective scripts and they begin.
"Chat Noir; go distract that akuma while I summon my lucky charm."
Marinette almost chokes.
"As you wish, M'lady."
He winks at her.
Since when did Adrien become a flirt?
Oh, right, since he is now apparently Chat Noir.
(Alya looks like she is going to die from happiness: this is simply a dream of hers come true)
Marinette knows she is dead; this script is paw-sitivly awful.
Every word that departs from her mouth is cringe-worthy.
And Adrien is playing along with it all the way.
It shocks her how good he is at replicating the nature of Chat, right down to the puns.
He must be a huge fan boy.
"Chat Noir, fetch me that useless stick over there. I need it for something important… um distracting… Akuma…"
He looks at her, and her breath catches.
It's only the script, it's only the script she chants over and over in her mind, and suddenly she is really grateful that moments like this don't actually happen in a real attack.
Well, normally.
Most of the time.
"Please."
She remembers.
"As you wish, M'lady."
She was going to kill Alya for putting her through this.
She was also going to kill Chat for his stupid nickname for her.
And while she's at it, she might as well kill Adrien too, because his voice is spot on every time he says it.
Thankfully she won't have time, because there's a scream outside that grabs everyone's attention.
It was an akuma, of course, and Marinette alternates between feelings of irritation and relief. Alya grabs Nino and is out the door before Marinette can make up an excuse to leave. She shouldn't be surprised, but man that girls works fast. She sees Adrien who is looking equally dumbfounded until he sees her; then he smiles awkwardly and dashes after them.
O-kay, that leaves her alone to transform.
"How'd I do Tikki?"
"You did great, but-"
"I know, I know. Spots on!"
She really hopes no one sees her as she jumps out Alya's window, swinging toward the sounds of panic, while simultaneously scanning for that obnoxious cat.
He really has no excuse to be late, she saw him less than an hour ago.
(Ihatewritingakumaattaks!)As her feet make their way to the ground, she pauses to take in the situation: Paint is everywhere, and people are, of course, running in every direction, screaming. A blob of paint is flung in her direction and she jumps back.
"Art is art is art!"
Great; he has a lame catchphrase. Cat phrase. Whatever.
"I see you're having a lovely Saturday, M'lady."
There's the stupid cat.
"Have you seen the Akuma? The source of the massive paint balls?"
"Unfortunately no, although, maybe it is fortunate: akumas are never one fifth as beautiful as this awe-inspiring creature in front of me."
"Chat, behave. Have you gotten much closer?"
"Nope, I just got here."
"Alright; should we declare ourselves or-"
"Give me your miraculous!"
Chat smirks at her; she can feel it, as the paint-covered -smocked akuma with a beret hat menacingly holds a paintbrush over their heads.
"Well, that answers that. I get the impressionism that you're trying to mug us. That is not in the artistic code is it, M'lady?"
She stares at him [why did all her friends have to be complete morons?], and shakes her head mutely.
"Well, we'd best be going. Have a nice genre day, and hope you little contrast!"
Grabbing her around the waist, Chat Noir runs, carrying her bridal style.
That stupid cat—
"You devil! My art is full of contrast, and I'm a still life abstractionist!"
"Oh, well I'm sure you have lots of pretty pictures!"
The Art-Akuma (Cause I'm lame like that) stops dead in his tracks and says in an absolutely satanic voice:
"Go step on a Lego."
"Me-ouch! NO!"
His fingers were digging into her sides as he ran, and it hurt.
For goodness sake, she was Ladybug!
She didn't need or want to be carried.
"Chat you dumb cat, put me down!"
"Not now, M'lady!"
He says lightly, dashing for cover as another paint bomb comes hurtling towards them.
Oh, he was enjoying this; she was so going to kill him.
"Chat if you don't put me down in two seconds you won't be running from an akuma ready to steal your miraculous."
"Well, I don't necessarily want to be—"
"You'll be running for your dear life because Ladybug will be looking for blood."
Plop!
From her spot on the ground she glares.
" I didn't tell you to drop me!"
Feigning innocence [like she couldn't see his shoulders shaking or the half moons of his eyes] he questions:
"What was I supposed to do, twirl you around?"
Disgraceful; completely disgraceful.
Not even one bit remorseful.
"You're a disgrace to humanity, Chat."
His ears droop, but he couldn't hide his smile.
It broke through like sunshine through the black clouds above them.
Beautiful.
And completely inappropriate of her to notice.
The Paintball/ artist man, for lack of a better name, had stopped throwing paint at them, so it was safe to say she had no idea where he was now.
(Well, other than Paris. What would be really scary would be fighting an akuma outside of Paris. But the akumas seemed to like Paris fairly well.)
Chat was right behind her; she could feel his breath on her neck and it was unnerving.
"Do you have any idea where he is?"
She whispers as they edge around trash cans like the true professionals they are.
"Check behind you."
The voice was loud, and the two teenagers whip around, weapons out. But they don't see the Akuma.
Instead, they see Alya and Nino, who both looked thrilled to have startled the heroes.
Ladybug blinks. They shouldn't be here.
"You shouldn't be here."
Chat echoes her thoughts.
(Thank you, Chat)
"Well where should we be?"
There they went, talking in sync again.
"Try at home, somewhere safe."
She cuts in.
(Her friends shouldn't be here)
"Aw, but that's no fun."
Chat, ever the responsible one (Ahem! Sarcasm), grips Nino's shoulder.
He's almost a head taller than him.
"Look, Nino,"
He says it with such familiarity.
"We can't fight a bad guy and rescue two teens at the same time; we need you guys to stay out of sight so we can catch this guy."
Nino looked up at his hero with stars in his eyes.
Ladybug rolls hers. If only he knew; this guy was such a dork.
"Only if you promise to give us interviews after you're done!"
Alya has priorities and safety is not one of them.
Manipulation, however, is one of her many skills.
"We can't promise that! Our miraculous will run out!"
"Your what?"
She doesn't have time for this.
"You know what? I'll promise you an interview, but not today."
"Then when?"
Uh, yah Ladybug, then when?
Chat was looking at her curiously.
"Uhhhhh….Tomorrow! Yeah! Same time! Just you though, nobody else, I really don't think a lot of people or friends would be a good-"
A paint blob came at them from out of nowhere and Chat launches himself at her, knocking her out of the way.
"I found you, cruel twisters of art. Give me your miraculous!"
"This is so cool!"
Alya squeals.
At the entrance to the alley (which was actually a dead -end alley, so they really had no way out), the Art Guy wields his paintbrush, swinging it around as if it was actually threatening (it wasn't; not at all).
But Ladybug finds she can't do anything because Chat is still on top of her.
"I'm going to break the paintbrush because that's the only brittle thing he has, and akumas like brittle things."
She tells Chat as she gauged the reaction of the Akuma, her head the only part of her body easily movable due to the rest of her being pinned by Chat.
He stares at her, nodding intently.
She could have easily flipped him off but she was kind of expecting him to get up on his own.
He didn't.
"Of course M'lady."
He was staring into her eyes, and Ladybug felt her breath catch in her throat for the second time that morning.
Maybe scenes like this did happen a lot.
"Chat, you have to go distract the Akuma."
Her breath is uneven and her voice came out as a whisper.
He looks reluctant to get off her, but he does.
She stands up and dusts herself off, shakes her head and falls into a fighting stance.
But no one else moves, they just stand, still and… staring.
At her.
What?
Did she detransform without knowing it or….
"I was so right about them being a couple."
Alya whispers, but Ladybug has acute hearing and she heard.
Oh, she really needed to work on her tough-single-girl vibe.
However, since her scene with Chat had left them with a bug-eyed, statuesque akuma, she was able to walk right up to him, take the paintbrush and break it.
The butterfly flies out, but it doesn't even try to get away.
What was with these people?
"Magical Cleansing Light!"
Yo-yo up; yo-yo down; voila!
Magic.
The paint disappeared and the akuma detransformed into… well, he honestly didn't look all that different.
"Here's your paintbrush, sir."
He thanks her, embarrassed as he puts together the situation, and hurries out of the alleyway.
She turns to her companions, who are still staring at her.
"We-ell. It's been an exciting morning and all but I really have some work to do so… "
She whipped out her yo-yo and disappeared.
Well, she hopes she disappeared. She had a total of five minutes to get somewhere reasonable to lose her transformation without anyone seeing her. There's an empty alley close to the bakery that was pretty much abandoned. She ducks behind a trash can.
Whew!
"Tikki, how you've kept this up for five thousand years I'll never know."
Her kwami only giggles, nuzzling her way into Marinette's purse.
She lagged on the way home, taking in Paris with its cloudy skies and preoccupied people.
Paris was beautiful.
Paris was home.
"Marinette, wait up! You'll never guess what happened!"
Marinette turns to her best friend with a half smile, broken from her day-dream.
"No, I don't think I will. What happened?"
