Chapter 7: Suspicious

"What am I going to do Tikki?" Marinette began as she stare at the ceiling. She was lying at her bed and wearing her pyjamas. Her kwami is at her side.

"What do you mean Marinette? Tikki asked.

"I can't believe I accepted the job," she said as she stuffed her face with her pillow.

"I can't believe you miss patrol ever since the incident." Tikki said and sighed in disappoinment but the girl didn't listen.

"LAUNDRY DAY!" Marinette shouted' throwing her pillow in the air.

"Laundry Day?" Tikki repeated.

"Yes, Laundry day!"

"What about Laundry Day?"

"Water, and the big amount of uniforms I have to wash every week!" The girl vented.

"Don't worry Mari, I know you can do it!" Tikki said as she snuggle Marinette's cheek with her own.

"There's only one problem..." The girl began.

"What's that?"

"Frills...It's hard washing the frills in the apron and skirt." Marinette said as she pouted.

"It's just a little thing Mari-"

"Water..."

"Oh," Tikki began. The little kwami absolutely forgotten Marinette's condition as she stared at the ups and downs of her cat ears.

Silence filled the room.

"How's your day with Adrien?" She asked nervously, trying to change the subject.

"Oh...what happen recently at the restaurant is simply breathe-taking, I can't believe I was interacting him like that! Do you saw how close his face was?" Marinette said contineously, internally screaming once more

"Oh Mari, I'm happy you got so much time with Adrien but please don't forget your duties as Ladybug." Tikki said, very thankful that Marinette forgot the sudden awkwardness they shared. She zoomed to face Marinette.

"I know but I purromised, after things return to normal, I will continue my duties as Ladybug." Marinette said raising her hand.

"Don't forget okay?" Tikki asked making sure.

"Pawsitive." Marinette said happily.

"Poor Chat Noir, having all the patrol for himself. You haven't even transform after that akumatized cat." Tikki said.

"My identity will be revealed when he saw Ladybug wearing cat ears and a collar the same as Marinette's." The girl vented. "Well I'm going to bed, good night Tikki." She then pecked Tikki's forehead and headed to sleep.

*HOOOOOONNNNKKKKK*

It was the next day and the loud noise from outside made Marinette jumped and now found herself at the ceiling hanging there with the use of her claws that were once her fingernails.

Another honk was heard and Marinette looked at her window as she still is hanging.

She saw the black car which he rode yesterday to the restaurant. "Why is Adrien here?" She wondered loudly.

"He may be picking you up to school." Tikki suggested.

"Pshh, Really? He'll never do that-"

"Marinette, Adrien's here, he's picking you up to school." Sabine called from downstairs.

Marinette and Tikki exchanged looks and the kwami gave the girl an I-told-you look.

"Yeah, give me a few minutes mom!" Marinette shouted back. She then removed her grip and jumped down, skipping her ladder and landed in front of her bathroom door. Thanks to her being a cat and all, she managed to come down alive.

"Tikki," marinette called as she was now holding the bathroom doorknob. "I'm going to face my greatest enemy ever yet so..." She mumbled and gulped. "So wish me luck."

"Good luck." Tikki said. To be honest, for her, she found this rather cheesy but she just goes with it.

...Marinette's greatest enemy is water...

Adrien and Marinette arrived at school in just the right time, not too early and not too late. They were now heading to their classroom.

"Are you okay Marinette?" Adrien asked as he tried to look at the girl's eyes.

The girl was fidgeting. "Umm...it's just Chloe maid see Adrien with-no...ummm..." She stuttered.

Adrien blinked at her but he understood what Marinette is saying.

"Don't let Chloe bother you, she's just jealous of our situation." Adrien said and scratched the back of her ear causing the girl to purr and rubbed her cheek against his hand.

The door then swung open as the two is still there. A sudden flash of a camera caught their attention. Seeing Alya with her camera phone and Nino with a satisfied face as he nodded slowly made the two stared at the for a while.

Adrien is the first one to regain his hand still found at Marinette's cheek, the boy quickly pinched both cheeks and pulled them lightly and in a teasedful way.

"Marinette, you have the most chubby cheeks I've ever seen." Adrien said, a little flustered. He then looked at the two and let go. "Morning Alya, Nino. 'Sup?" He greeted awkwardly. Marinette on the other hand is still flustered as she massages her cheeks.

"We're having a nice day." Alya assured as she exchanges looks with Nino.

"Alright, make way for the new couple." Nino shouted and pulled both Adrien and Marinette inside the classroom.

All eyes are focused on the two of them especially Marinette who's wearing a cat maid uniform. Some eyes are widened with shock, some like Rose, are staring at them admiringly and some like Chloe, has their jaws dropped.

Marinette is red as a tomato and continue to fidget her fingers. She looked at the blonde boy beside her and saw how red his cheeks are but still gave her a weak smile.

"Just don't let it bother ya." He whispered as he went behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her to her seat and the same as for him.

As Adrien sat down to calm himself, Nino slides beside him. "You're watching way too much anime." He commented.

Adrien raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Look at the girl behind you and tell me if that reminds you of an anime show especially the harem ones that has that kind of fan service in it." Nino said specifically and slowly.

Adrien raised a brow as his cheeks went pink. He didn't bother to look at the girls.

"I know you're watching those things dude, We just watched some two weeks ago." Nino said.

"Umm...I don't know what you're talking about Nino." Adrien said and rest his head at his desk, trying to ignore the teases of his friend. Nino then looked at Marinette to ask her some questions as well but Ms. Bustier arrived.

As the teacher entered, she saw Marinette's attire and smiled. She was intimidating.

"What's the special occasion Marinette? Not I don't judge but what a strange get-up for school." She said nicely.

"Special Occasion? Umm maid work Adrien for." She stuttered.

"I'm sorry I-" ms. Bustier was then cut off as Adrien shouted.

"She works under our family being my personal maid!" Adrien blurted as he quickly stood up and yawned.

Everyone was staring at him, a little bit surprise, surprised at how he suddenly shouted and how his eye twitched.

"Okay," Ms. Bustier began awkwardly, rolling her eyes and looked at the boy. " What's with the ears and tail then?"

"Fashion sense!" Adrien said. "Our family being fashionable and all needs to have charisma so of course, even the people who is afflifliated should be fashionable too." He then ended his words with a nervous chuckle.

Ms. Bustier then Continue her class with written and group works and after a few minutes she left the room unattended. Of course, some students will take the opportunity to do whatever they want when the teacher is not around.

"I can't believe you act so cute in front of Adrikins." Chloe said in digust, she's standing beside Marinette. Her arms crossed as she glared the blue-haired. She is now the center of attention.

"What are you talking about Chloe," Marinette began as she continue to do her work. "It's obvious that I'm behind him and not in front of him right?" She said sarcastically but suddenly began to fidget as she met Adrien's eyes.

*SPLASH!*

Sabrina then poured water to Marinette causing the girl to jump from her seat but since she's in a tight spot, she wasn't able to dodge.

"Serves you right loser!" Chloe said and she and Sabrina went back to their seats.

"Chloe, what did you do that for?" Alya yelled as she comforts her friend who's shivering. "Girl, let me remove your cat ears so you can—" As Alya reached the 'head accessory', Marinette quickly covered her head with her hands before she realized it's attached.

"No need for that." Marinette stuttered. "I can dry my hair later."

"You're shivering…you might get sick if you let you hair wet and even your clothes are wet." Alya said worriedly.

"I'm fine, really." Marinette said as she keeps shivering and tried to continue her writing but she can't even grip her pen properly.

"See Adrikins don't even care about you." Chloe said and she suddenly choked as she saw Adrien standing at Marinette's side and placed his white jacket at the girl's shoulder. Chloe saw Adrien murmured something to Marinette making her gasped and grit her teeth in terror and jealousy.

"What's wrong with her face?" Nino suddenly asked looking at what Marinette is focused on. Everyone did the same and they saw a bird sitting at the teacher's desk.

Adrien looked at Marinette and he noticed her eyes, the eyes of being interested, of curiosity and the eyes of a predator.

"Don't you dare chase that bird!" Adrien whispered threateningly but the girl didn't listen to him and suddenly sprint towards the little animal which is about to fly out. Adrien was quick on his moves that he immediately took hold of her tail before Marinette could jump out of the window.

And just for a split second, Ms. Bustier returns. She noticed how everyone is staring at Marinette who's still shivering and gazing at the window like an idiot and Adrien standing up in her classroom, holding Marinette's tail as he looked at her nervously.

"What happen here and why are you wet Marinette?" Ms. Bustier asked.

Everyone silently pointed at Chloe. "She poured water on her!"

"What, it's not me!" Chloe lied. "Sabrina did it!"

"What am I going to do with you Ms. Bourgeois?" Ms. Bustier mumbled desperately. "Please go to the principal's office Chloe and you too Sabrina !"

The teacher watches the two leave and then faced the other two who's still standing near the window. "Would you mind sitting down and we'll continue our class." She said politely which Adrien and Marinette do so.

"By the way Adrien, Nathalie sent some spare clothes, I assume it's for Marinette." Ms. Bustier said, giving a shopping bag to Adrien as he passed by.

"Oh yeah, I asked Nathalie to bring considering what just happen but I never thought she'll be this fast, thank you." Adrien said and he offered it to Marinette. "Here you go Marinette,"

"ACHOO!"

It was now lunch break and Adrien and Marinette are sitting alone. Supposedly, Alya and Nino are with them having lunch but they said that there's some things they need to handle so they'll join them later. Right now, Adrien was behind the blue-haired girl drying her hair.

"Don't tell me you've gotten a cold now?" Adrien asked worriedly as he continues to mess her hair with a towel.

"No, my nose is just itchy." Marinette replied then she took a bite of her croissant.

"And you almost fell, you shouldn't chase the bird."

Marinette just shrugged and let out a soft laugh. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you." Marinette began. "Why are you helping me with furry problem?"

Adrien went silent for a moment. "I'm your friend, so of course I'm helping you."

"Oh, okay." Marinette mumbled. "How about how did you know about my problem?"

The boy went silent again.

"Chat Noir is the first person to know wait…is she on to me being Chat? Does she finally know I'm Chat Noir? Did she saw Plagg that time in my room? I shouldn't just tell her the truth, I can't reveal my secret, I promised myself Ladybug will know it first…" He thought as he continue to dry the girl's hair.

"As I remember, you immediately hide me from our classmates at the day I went to school looking like a cat so I was wondering—Adrien! Stop shaking my head way too hard, you're hurting my ears!"

Adrien soon went back to reality as he realized what he's doing. He looked down at Marinette. "Um. Sorry I didn't mean to."

"Are you okay? You were thinking really deep." Marinette asked as he raised her head to look at the boy's face.

"N-Not really, I'm j-just hungry." Adrien lied. He purposely trying to change the subject, hoping the girl will forget.

"Oh, well join me and let me shove a croissant in your mouth then," Marinette said teasingly as she pat the surface at her side inviting the boy to sit with her and enjoy a lovely croissant. Adrien didn't hesitate but to follow and they ate the freshly baked croissants.

Later that evening, Adrien is lying on his bed watching TV. He was watching Code Geass.

(A.N.: It's the only anime I know that Adrien will be watching and the same time has a character wearing a maid outfit so please bear with it. To relate, he's watching Code Geass R2E12 –Love attack.)

"Wow, Nino's right you are watching those human TV shows that inspires you in that maid business stuff!" Plagg said amazed as he joined Adrien.

"No Plagg, this is not about those girly maid stuff, this is about war!" Adrien simply defended. "Can you see the seriousness?"

Plagg smirked. "No, All I see is the struggle of the main character as he was chased by thousand of humans especially those seductive human girls."

"That's not the theme!" Adrien justify as he quickly turned off his television. "The plot is pretty deep y'know."

"Man, make that happen in your life, imagine, thousand of cat girl Marinettes chasing you." Plagg teased but the blonde ignored his kwami friend as he covered his face with a pillow. "Okay, okay, how about thousand of Ladybugs chasing you-the super hero Ladybug of course."

"How about if you continue this junk you're saying, you'll never chase a single cheese in your life?" Adrien said irritably.

"Oh no, please no, I'm very sorry." Plagg said regretfully as he hugged Adrien's arm. "Please forgive me Papa, please don't take my cheese."

Adrien glared at the cat kwami and sighed desperately. "Anyway, I'm curious Plagg," he began.

Plagg is still hugging his arm.

"How do you know where Marinette is the day that white cat got akumatized?" Adrien asked getting a small bowl of camembert.

"Oh that's easy, I sensed Tikki." Plagg said happily as the boy placed it his side. "Oh shoot,-I mean plot convenience."

The boy glared as well taking the bowl back from Plagg's reach. "Who's Tikki?"

"Nope, classified information." Plagg said. "Now give me back my love."

"No," he said childishly. "Until you give me the information I won't give you your true love back."

"But—but—" Plagg stuttered.

"You're grounded for a week without cheese."Adrien said. "You're bribing me so I'm bribing you back."

"But do you need to patrol Paris?"

"Yeah, but I'm not letting you pass without answering my question."

"Okay, okay but don't tell anyone what I said."