Hello everyone! It's Chapter 6 now and I hope you like it! Enjoy the chapter...
Chapter 6 – Confuzzled Guy Marinates The Chicken
Marinette's POV
Wake up. Die. Go to school. Die. ADRRRIIIEEEEENNNNNNN! Die. Home. Whoooo! Homework. Die.
(insert Ladybug work and blah somewhere around here) Die. Sleep. Redo this cycle a million of times. That was my life schedule, I had figured out. So, naturally I was half-dead while I 'listened' to Miss Bustier talk about something school-related. Alya poked my head with a pencil every now and again, but I didn't raise my head. Yesterday, two villains had appeared, and I had to fight both! I'll spare you the details, but it was so tiring I couldn't be bothered to even try today.
I wasn't paying attention to anything in the room, but I was kind of forced to when a stupid voice said, "Wow, Marinette I see you're being an idiot, as usual."
"Chloe..." I growled, and looked up. Miss Bustier had apparently left to get something, so the rich girl must've seen her chance to flirt with Adrien and decided to be mean just 'cause.
"Looks like someone got hit with the ugly stick this morning," Chloe snorted, examining her nails.
Why did she even exist? She always had the last word, but not today. "Yeah, you did," I snapped back.
Chloe looked taken aback. Ha ha.
"Now I know you have nothing better to do than come and talk to me, but I really can't be bothered to look at you, so please, please just go sit down," I sighed, feeling good now.
"Wha- you know, maybe I should tell my daddy about this!" Chloe laughed. "How about that?"
I cocked an eyebrow. "That's the best you can do? Fine, go tell your daddy, and while you're at it, ask him to teach you some manners."
Chloe grunted and walked away. I sighed with relief and then yawned. Seriously I was so tired.
"Ha ha, go Marinette," Nino cheered quietly.
"Yeah! That was so entertaining, I wish I had popcorn!" Alya laughed.
"Totally!" Adrien whispered, turning around. "I didn't know you could be so fierce," he laughed.
"F-fierce? Me? No. No, not at all," I stammered.
"It's great that you stood up to her like that," Adrien said with a wink that could melt ice.
"G-great? Ha ha, thanks," I giggled. "I mean thank you," I said, regaining my cool. Not that I had any cool in the first place.
Adrien's POV
Miss set us some sheets to complete. As I did my work, I couldn't stop thinking about what Marinette had just done. She stood up to Chloe, even though Chloe was pretty powerful because of her dad... She stood up to her. It was really inspiring. Maybe I could stand up to someone powerful... hey, that was it!
I turned round. "Hey, Marinette," I whispered.
She looked up from her work. "Yes?"
"Will you come to my house today? I need your help."
"M-my help?"
"I'll explain later. So will you?"
"Um... okay..."
"Great!" I turned back around. I was gonna fight the power!
Marinette's POV
Umm, okay? Not only was that random, but I knew for a fact that Adrien had a photoshoot today and a piano lesson, so how could I go to his house? I couldn't ask about that though; it would freak him out that I knew. But anyway, at the end of the day, I met Adrien outside the school.
"Marinette, let's go," he said hurriedly, walking away.
"Umm, Adrien your car is that way," I called.
"I know that. We're hiding, shh!" He laughed. Um, was he alright in the head today? He took my hand and led me in the direction he was walking.
"H-hiding?" I asked, blushing hard. "Why?"
"Because I'm protesting against my father. He can't make me go anywhere, right? I'm gonna stand up to him the way you stood up to Chloe!" he exclaimed.
I was honestly so confused. "But Chloe's not your dad."
"Well I know that, but if I ever want my dad to let me do things my own way, I have to show him who's boss. Okay, not boss but... miniboss, maybe? Anyway, that's where I need your help." He came to a halt and turned around. "You can give me the courage I need to do this, right? You'll be my lucky charm?" he asked hopefully, looking directly into my eyes.
I blushed even more furiously, and looked away.
"Marinette?"
"U-um, y-yes of course, but I don't want to be a bad influence or anything..."
Adrien shook his head. "Not a chance. You're a good influence! Come on," he decided.
I was puzzled on a number of levels.
We reached his house and he took me up to his room. "Okay! Now we shut the doors!" Adrien announced. He closed the doors. "Now we barricade them shut!" He started pushing furniture to the door.
"What is wrong with you today?" I asked.
"Nothing, i'm just fighting the power!" Adrien told me. "Grab that chair."
"But... okay..." I gave him the chair and he pushed it against the door.
He brushed off his hands, looking very pleased with himself. "Haha, take that father." He sat on his bed, and called me over.
I sat next to him. "So... Now what?"
"I have no idea. You're my lucky charm, so you know, right?"
I shook my head. "I really have no idea what's going on right now," I sighed. I was still so tired. "But I want to help you in any way possible, so i'll stick around!" I assured. "Does your dad really make you do a lot?"
Adrien sighed and nodded. "You don't know how hard it was to even let me go to school. He's been so uptight, and even more uptight since..."
"Since..." I prompted.
"We lost my mother. It made him extra strict," he explained.
"I'm sorry about your loss, Adrien," I told him sincerely. I didn't know what it felt like to lose a family member, so I couldn't possibly imagine the pain of such an experience. It must've been very horrible.
"No, it's okay. So... yeah, anyway he's a pain in the neck and I want him to stop treating me like some kind of robot. You've given me courage to stand up to him!" he laughed.
"I have? Well... please don't tell anyone i'm here; I really don't want to get on anyone's bad side."
"I won't,"he promised, smiling that adorable smile.
"Adrien?" a muffled voice came from outside the door.
"Shoot, that's Natalie!" Adrien whispered, suddenly going from happy to worried.
I did something very un-Marinette like. I held one of his hands in mine and gave it a squeeze. "You can do it!" I said quietly, smiling and trying not to blush.
Adrien nodded and grinned. "Thank you!" He turned to the door. "Yes, Natalie?" he called.
"What are you doing in there? Why did you come here by yourself?"
"Because I - uh - I wanted to enjoy the fresh air!"
"Adrien, your father would never approve-"
"Well sometimes I don't need my father's approval," Adrien argued.
"Adrien, you have a photoshoot - it can't start without you there!"
"Natalie... i'm sorry but you have to understand - i'm proving a point to my father."
"What point?" Natalie sighed.
"I want to do what I want to do. If he wants me to do something... well he doesn't have a right to make me do anything - he doesn't even remember my birthday, for crying out loud!"
"So what, you're just going to lock yourself in there?"
"Yeah, you got it! I'm in here with Marin-" I waved my hands in front of myself - a gesture that hopefully said 'NO PLS' Adrien laughed nervously. "Mari – Marinade!" Adrien and I both facepalmed simultaneously.
"Marinade?" Natialie repeated in confusion. "Wha-"
"That's right! I'm gonna... I am gonna marinate this chicken, whether my father likes it or not! It's uh - it's a metaphor..."
"Adrien, what will get you out of there?"
"Hmm... I never really thought of that!" Adrien whispered aside to me, panicked again.
"Well, what do you want?" I asked him.
"Um... respect, freedom, oh yeah - definetely freedom... and uhhh..."
"Adrien!" I prompted.
"I don't know what!" he called to the door again. "But I'll think of it!"
"Oh goodness..." I heard Natalie sigh and her footsteps fading away.
Adrien looked alert. "Is it over? did we do it? did I win?" he asked quickly.
"Uhh... for now?" I said uncertainly.
Adrien sat still for a few seconds.
"YES!" he yelled, jumping up. It scared me so much that I jumped myself and fell over. "Marinette?! Stop falling over, one day you might hurt yourself really bad!" he laughed.
I lay on the floor, giggling away at his reactions.
"You seem to fall on the floor a lot. Is it comfortable down there?" Before I could respond, he lay down next to me, so that his face was inches away from mine. "Bonjour," he whispered with a wink.
"H-hello," I stammered, my eyelashes fluttering involuntarily. His green eyes had a way of mesmerising me so easily. I giggled again.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You - you were going to 'marinate this chicken'... is that really the best you could come up with?"
"Hey, come on! It was a pretty good save!" he protested.
"It was. Adrien..."
"Yep?"
"How the heck am I going to get out of here? Even if we unblock the door, I still can't be seen by Natalie and stuff."
"Oh... right. Um, I have a window."
"I have to jump out a three storey window?"
"No... I know... let's play video games until I think of a way to get you out!" he insisted, getting up and leading me to the sofa.
"A-alright," I mumbled, stuck in a daze.
Adrien's POV
So I had a plan. A dangerous plan that I had already used before. "Marinette, I bet you can't pass the ultimate test for being the best gamer ever," I taunted.
"What? Yes I can!" she exclaimed. "Sorry, I mean - I think I can do it for sure please let me try..."
"What's that? You wanna try? Okay! Time to bring out the old... blindfold!" I laughed. "Tada!"
"Not the blindfold again..." Marinette sighed.
"Trust me, it's legit this time." I tied it on and did all the security checks. "Now, you have to win against the CPU without even looking at the screen. And no taking-"
"Off the blindfold, I get it," Marinette finished.
"Perfect!" I ran into the bathroom.
"What, this again?" Plagg groaned, flying out of my shirt.
"Hey, you can't teach a cat new tricks... wait that's not the saying... oh well. Anyway, I'll just turn into Cat Noir, escort Marinette back home. Win win, everybody's happy!"
"I'm not happy, or impressed..." Plagg retorted.
"I don't give a crap."
"Well, that hurt. You know this relationship is just full of animal abuse, Adrien," Plagg fake cried unenthusiastically.
"Ugh, whatever I'll give you the stupid camembert later..."
"SOLD!"
"Okay, Plagg, claws out!"
Insert transformation sequence here.
Adrien/Cat Noir's POV
I came back out to see Marinette had beated the CPU four times already. Wow that girl could go.
"I heard the sounds of someone in danger," I announced, trying to sound as un-Adrien like as possible.
"Cat Noir?"Marinette called.
"That's my name, don't wear it out," I replied, taking her blindfold off for her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking very puzzled.
"You know, a superhero can sense when someone's in need," I lied.
Marinette looked around. "Where'd Adrien go?" she asked.
"Didn't you see him leave? He literally just left and said he was going to find a way to get you out or something."
"No, Cat, I didn't see." Marinette looked so done.
"Oh, blindfold, got it. Anyways, I can get you out of here," I offered.
"Oh I suppose you could. But I can't just leave, Adrien still thinks i'm here. It would be rude to just fly away."
"Aw how sweet, you really care about him?" I asked, intrigued.
Marinette folded her arms. "What a busybody you are," she sighed.
"Why don't you just write him a note?" I suggested.
"Oh, that's a good idea... for once," she mumbled. She got a piece of paper from her school bag and a pink pen. "Okay... I'll write: 'Adrien, Cat Noir has shown up to escort me home, please don't worry about me and good luck with things...'"
I leaned over her. "Write, Love from, Marinette," I insisted.
"Wha- no!" She tried to hide her note.
I pouted. "Well why not?"
"Because - well because that's... never mind, okay? I'll write 'From Marinette p.s I am the ultimate gamer!' And i'll add a smiley face."
"Add a heart," I said.
Marinette shook her head. "Shut up, Cat."
"Fine, i'll add one." I took the pen.
"No wait! He'll think I put a love heart and then..."
"Then what?"
"..." Marinette... blushed?
"Hmm?" I hummed.
She blew some hair out of her face. "Fine i'll add a stupid heart."
"I think this Adrien kid will think it's cute," I assured. "Adorable, even..."
Marinette covered her face. "Let's just go." She grabbed her bag.
"Come over here, little lady." I took her arms and wrapped them around my neck. "Hold on, otherwise I can't guarantee you'll live," I laughed.
"Well, now I feel safe!" Marinette said sarcastically. I pulled her even closer - what? I was just... doing my job.
"Time to go!" I exclaimed. "Mew!" I used my cane to leap out of the window, and went hopping from building to building from there. "Are you scared?" I laughed.
"Nope, this is fun! Bet you can't go faster!" Marinette teased.
"Sounds like a challenge... I accept!" I bounded even faster. "Ha ha! What about that?"
"Whoo! Um, I mean, i've seen faster," she yawned.
"You're impossible. And I thought Ladybug was stubborn."
I slowed down and came to a halt at Marinette's balcony. "Thank you for flying with Cat Noir, please take any belongings with you," I passed her her bag, "And we hope you'll be flying with us again very soon! Here's a gift..." I don't know why, okay, I just did it without thinking. Just randomly. I literally just did it without registering. I kissed Marinette on her forehead. Her eyes widened and I definitely saw her blush. I blushed too. "Nya! See ya!" I yelled, saluting and jumping away. "What the hell?" I laughed to myself, running back home.
Marinette's POV
"What. What just. What just happened - even - just - like -right - now – WHAT?" I stuttered.
"Did Cat Noir just kiss you?"Tikki squeaked.
"So that really just happened? I - I don't understand! My heart is beating so fast and I - have butterflies!" I whispered.
"That means you might... have feelings for Cat Noir?" Tikki asked.
"No, I like Adrien! Besides, Cat is just a big flirt. I don't like him!"
"You can't like him. If Ladybug falls in love with Cat Noir or vice versa, you'll probably find out each other's identities!"
"I can't believe it... I had to kiss him before but that wasn't real, it was only to fight Dark Cupid. But this is the first time a boy kissed me... even if it was just on the forehead. That jerk stole my first kiss! But I don't know why, it - okay don't find me weird - but the kiss reminded me of..."
"Of what, Marinette?"Tikki asked.
"Of..." Of Adrien. But I couldn't say that out loud it was just a stupid feeling. "Of nothing, forget it..."
Adrien's POV
"Plagg, why did I just kiss her?" I asked.
Plagg ate his camembert. "Are you confuzzled?"
"That's not even a word - but yeah i'm pretty confuzzled..."
"I don't know, maybe - if you ever ever ever ever ever-"
"Plagg!"
"Ever ever ever listened to me, you would know that you like Marinette."
"Of course I like Marinette. She's one of my best friends."
Plagg threw the cheese at me. "You dense little - okay I mean like like."
"You - you don't even know what you're talking abou-"
"Adrien." That single voice made me tense up.
"F-father." I walked to the door.
"What is making you act this way?" Father asked in his monotone voice. If you heard an audio clip it wouldn't sound like he was talking to his son, it would sound like he was talking to an assistant at work. I hated that.
I didn't answer. I didn't know how to.
"Adrien."
"Father, with - with all due respect, I - I need you to start listening to me. I - have opinions, you know. About all the things you tell me to do."
"Adrien don't-"
"But you won't even listen... so-"
"Adrien, this is nonsense, I am your father and there is no argument to be had. A son must listen to his father-"
That was it. "Father? Oh please, what a father you are! Tell me, dad what did you get me for my birthday?" I hoped for an answer. So badly, I hoped. No response. "Fascinating," I almost spat the word. "And what's my favourite color?" No response. "Heartwarming." My voice broke a little by mistake. "I will go to this stupid photoshoot. But you and I both know: the smiles on my face on the front of those magazine covers and billboards? They aren't real." No response. "But hey, a son must listen to his father, right?" No response. Only footsteps walking away.
I bit my lip with frustration, and sank to the floor. I wanted Marinette to be sitting with me still. Plagg floated about and played with his feet. "Um, A-Adrien? Is this a bad time to-"
I blinked the stinging out of my eyes. "Plagg, just hide, I need to take some photos or whatever."
"Adrien..."
"Plagg, please."
"Okay..." Plagg nodded and hid in my shirt without a word.
"Fight the power? What was I thinking?"
Marinette's POV
The next day, I was back at school. (I think about him he's so cool lol sorry I had to) It was a long, boring day, and Adrien didn't seem like himself. I tried to ask him about how the protesting thing went, but he just smiled and shook his head. I guessed it didn't go very well.
I got a detention for not bringing my homework – well excuse me Miss Mendeleev but I was saving your freaking life, so I didn't really get the chance to calculate those formulas. I had to leave after everyone else.
Anyway, the end of the day did eventually come, and I walked like a zombie out of school. As I walked I felt something pudgy under my shoe, and then, being Marinette, I tripped over it. "Ouch!" I groaned.
But I also heard an "Ouch," from someone else.
"Hello? I'm sorry did I hurt you- oh." There was no-one there... just a – A KWAMI?! "Oh my goodness did I hurt you?" I whispered.
The black creature sat up. "A bit... but I'm okay..."
"Here, come with me for now," I said, picking the little thing up and cupping it in my hands. I ran home.
"So, you just sit there," I told the little guy. "I'll get stuff," I laughed nervously.
"Um, okay," he agreed.
I went outside my room and took Tikki out. "Tikki! Did you see that guy?"
"Yep, that's definitely him," Tikki sighed
"Who?"
"Plagg. He's Cat Noir's kwami," she explained.
"I knew he was a kwami! So what do I do?" I asked.
"You can't let him know you're Ladybug, so don't let him see me, okay?" Tikki told me.
"But aren't you two friends? I don't want to stop you from reuniting with him."
"Oh, Marinette I don't mind, as long as our secret is safe."
"Okay, I think I can handle this," I said with a wink, putting Tikki back into my bag.
I went back into my room. "Hello, little guy, what's your name, then?" I asked gently.
"I'm Plagg, a kw- robot."
"Robot?" I giggled.
"I am a robot, designed by my master, but I have lost my way, and uh I can't get back to him. Without your help."
"My help? You mean, little old me can help such a cool robot like you?"
"That's right. First of all, do you have a phone device thing?" he asked. Very convincing robot.
"Yep, got it."
"Okay, please leave and put the phone on the desk, then I will do my robot-ory and you can come back in."
"Sure thing Plagg," I laughed quietly. I left the room.
Plagg's POV (that's right Plagg has a POV)
Whew, I was a natural and lying. She actually believed I was a robot, what a girl. She was so nice to me though, no wonder Adrien was so in love. I clicked some doo-hicky's on her phone, (Adrien used his phone a lot so I had learnt some stuff) then I looked on Marinette's contacts and Adrien's number was there! I knew Adrien didn't have Marinette's number, because the other day he was going on about how he should ask for her number blah blah blah.
I dialled his number. And waited. Waiting. And... wait. "Hello?" I heard Adrien say.
"Oh! Adrien, it's Plagg!"
I heard the phone drop on the floor. "P-Plagg?! You have a phone?!"
"No this is actually your friend's phone, they don't know i'm a kwami!"
"Which friend?"
"Marine-"
I heard the phone drop again. "Marinette?! You're with her?"
"Chill, I told her i'm a robot and she left the room while I make this phone call. So how will I get back to you?" I asked.
"Well, Marinette can't give you to me in person, or else she'll ask me why I have you..."
"I know, how about we just tell her you're Cat Noir-"
"Plagg, you're the one who's supposed to be telling me not to reveal my identity!"
"Why, you're gonna marry her anyway, so what difference does it make whether you tell her now, or after the wedding?"
"Plagg, just- okay, I have an idea..."
After the phone call had ended. I tried my best to delete the phone's call history. DELETE! DELEEETE! DEEELLEEEE- hey I did it.
Marinette's POV
"Uh, you can come in now," Plagg called from inside my room.
"Okay, so what should we do, Plagg?" I asked, sitting at my desk again.
"First, I run on camembert, otherwise i'll short circuit." After I gave him some camembert, he explained that I had to return him to his owner without actually seeing him. So I had to go to the school and put Plagg on the stairs. He said his owner would find him there.
So I made my way there. On my way, I bumped into:
"A- Adrien?" I almost tripped over into him.
He waved. "Hey Marinette, what are you doing in front of the school?" he asked.
I hid Plagg behind my back. "I don't know," I blurted. "I mean, I do know, I just, uh, i'm eating some fresh air – I mean... I'm breathing it... what are you doing here?"
"Uhh... Right... well okay see ya later!" he laughed, sliding away.
"Bye..."
When I was sure he was gone, I gently placed Plagg on the steps. "There. Are you sure your owner will come and get you?"
"Oh, I feel like he's... already here."
"Okay, well goodbye, Plagg the robot." I nuzzled him with my nose and he laughed. What a cutie! "I hope we can meet again someday!" I said quietly. "Now I need to leave, but i'll check here later to see if you've been picked up or not!" I smiled at him, and then walked back home. "Wow, now i've met Cat Noir's kwami! I wonder if that's where he gets his personality from." I paused, remembering how that idiot just kissed me and flew off. I shook my head. "Forget it!" I groaned to myself.
Adrien's POV
After I was sure Marinette was gone, I rushed out from behind a bush and found Plagg eating camembert on the stairs. "Plagg!" I exclaimed. I picked him up and hugged him (it's pretty difficult to hug someone that's smaller than your hand). "I'm sorry I lost you, buddy," I apologised.
"Well, you should be," Plagg said, still being his stubborn self. "Don't pretend you even missed me."
"I – I..."
"You... what?"
"I mi- mi- I mis- Ugh, I missed you," I said the word like it was poisonous, "okay? Ya stupid, cheese-eating cat thingy."
Plagg's eyes watered. "You – you mean... you actually missed me?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.
I looked away from the puppy-dog eyes. "Y-yes..."
Plagg flew to my face and I was expecting some kind of show of affection. But no, he just slapped me in the cheek with his tail. "Well you shouldn't have lost me in the first place!"
"Shut up! I'm kind of regretting I even found you again!"
"You didn't find me, your girlfriend did!"
"Marinette is not my girlfriend!"
"Then why did you kiss her?"
"Y-you..." I sighed. I really couldn't answer that. "Let's go home, okay?" I said with a smile.
Plagg hugged a few strands of my hair. "Okay."
Sure, we argued, and hit each other, but deep down, I really couldn't imagine how dull and lonely life would be without him. "You know Plagg, i've always wanted a brother."
"Are you saying i'm like a brother to you?" he asked.
"Nope, I just want a brother."
"Adrien, I HATE YOU!" Plagg slapped me again.
"I hate me too," I sighed, walking into the giant building that I was supposed to call home.
Marinette's POV
As soon as I got home the news guy yelled: "VILLLLLLAAAIN!" Great(!) Another battle for Ladybug.
"Gimme a break," I sighed. "Like I wanna face Cat Noir after..."
"Just don't worry. I'm sure he was just messing around," Tikki said.
"Well, he stole my first kiss! I'm gonna... ugh, anyway, Tikki, spots on!" I exclaimed.
After I had transformed, I saw Cat standing like he was so innocent. Ugh he drove me insane!
"Hello, Mr Noir," I greeted coldly, folding my arms.
"My Lady, wonderful to see you!" he laughed. What a flirt!
"I see what you do, you know," I sighed.
"What I do?"
"Yep."
"Look out!" he yelled, deflecting a projectile away from me. "What do I do?"
"Well, you know, you just..."
"Ladybug, what's up?" he asked, dodging the enemy's attacks.
"You're quite the ladies man, no?" I asked, hitting the enemy in the face.
Cat's ears perked up. "What? No – I mean I-"
"Just wondering... kissed anyone lately?" I asked.
Cat's eyes widened and he tripped over. "Gah, wha-"
"Nothing!" I laughed, chasing after the villain.
"Ladybug what the hell?" Cat yelled, still lying on the floor.
It was hard to get angry at a boy who kissed you not knowing it was you and you were telling them they kissed you as Ladybug so they had no idea how you knew that... Um... whatever.
Are you confuzzled? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! I'll try and write the next one as soon as I can. Bye bye, little butterflies.