Hey, guys! I'm so sorry, I know this is way too late, but I have way too little time and…ack! Well, it's up now, anyways.
Thanks so much for the all the reviews on last chapter. I am taking your guy's suggestions, and there will be a bet! I have three episodes in mind for Marinette and Adrien's 'first' kiss. They are, in no particular order:
Lady Wifi
Timebreaker
Dark Cupid
Once this chapter is posted, I'll create a poll. Vote which episode you think it is, and the winners will have their OC's in the story for that chapter! Be warned, though: If you cast your vote in a review, it will not be counted. You have two weeks!
Just a quick thing, though: I don't own my own personal computer. Not until school starts up, however, when we get school-issued laptops. For now, I'm writing on the family computer, and it's not too easy to get at, what with my dad using it for work and my sister using it for games. Some days I can't use it at all, and I hate it. I love that you guys are so invested in this story. I am too, and I enjoy writing it and having fun with everyone. But as of right now during the summer, chances to write are pretty hard to come by, and y'all spamming me with 'where's the next episode' just leaves me stressed and not able to do my best work. Again, I love that you guys are so interested. It means a lot, really. But just please don't spam me.
Hopefully I didn't make Chloé too forgiving in this chapter. Ah, well.
Also, Voltron: Legendary Defender season five spoilers. Sorry not sorry!
In the meantime, though, please enjoy and get your vote in!
Marinette exited her stall, feeling much better after having done her business. Glancing around, she saw that she was the first to come out. Taking the opportunity, she went over to the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. Even though Marinette was dressed and had been awake for a while, she still felt a bit sluggish, like she was moving in slow-mo, trying to keep up with a world stuck on fast-forward.
That was probably because she had just been enlightened to the fact that Adrien Agreste, her model mega-crush, was Chat Noir. Her superhero partner. Who liked her back.
And oh, yeah, now her entire class knew she was Ladybug. Including Chat Noir. Who was Adrien Agreste, her model mega-crush. Who liked her back. Did she mention that they were one and the same?
A hand clapped down on Marinette's shoulder and she yelped, whirling around.
Alya quickly raised her hands as a sign of peace. "Whoa, girl! It's just me!"
Marinette tried to calm her racing heart. "Sorry, Alya. I'm just—"
"Surprised? Nervous? Embarrassed? Overjoyed?"
Marinette sighed. "All of the above, plus confused as hell."
Alya wrapped her in a hug. "I'm here for you, you know. It's not everyday your secret identity is revealed to your peers. If you want to take a moment to just talk, let me know."
Marinette smiled, burying her face in Alya's shoulder. "Thanks."
Alya held her for another moment, then pushed Marinette back, holding onto her arms. "However, it's not everyday you find out that your best friend is a fucking superhero. You still owe me some answers, girl."
Marinette had to laugh. "I know. Why don't we wait until everyone's done in the bathroom, then Adrien and I can answer your questions as well as everyone else's?"
Alya grinned and released her. "Sounds great."
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Chloé walked over to the two of them, Sabrina right behind her, as always. She grabbed Marinette's forearm. "A word?"
Marinette looked at Chloé distrustfully. Her electric blue eyes widened meaningfully. "Uh, sure," Marinette said slowly.
"Great, come with me. Sabrina, stay!" Chloé barged her way back into the screening room, keeping a tight grip on Marinette the entire time.
Marinette yanked her arm away. "I can walk myself, thanks."
Chloé didn't turn around to face her. She gazed out over the row of beanbags, arms flat at her sides. "So. You're Ladybug. And Adrien is Chat Noir. You're superheroes."
"Yes, we are." Marinette was suddenly wary. It occurred to her that Chloé would be having a few…issues, with this revelation. First and foremost, the fact that her least favorite classmate was her beloved idol. Second, Adrien, the boy she had coveted for years on end was in love with another girl—Marinette. Both of those put together—plus Chloé's tendency to overreact—would definitely be enough to send her off the edge.
Chloé took in a loud breath and spun around. "I'm…happy. For you."
Marinette was stunned. "Pardon?"
Chloé had her eyes shut, not wanting to look at the expression on Marinette's face. "I know I've said some…things…in the past. But honestly, I've always thought that Ladybug and Chat Noir would make a good couple."
Marinette didn't see how it was even possible for her to be more shocked than she was right now. "Really?"
"Really." Chloé opened her eyes hesitantly. "And…as much as I want to, I can't deny the fact that Adrien seems to…love you."
Well, apparently it was possible. Marinette blinked, regaining control of herself. "And you're…okay, with that?"
Chloé scoffed, but it was almost like her heart wasn't in it. "Contrary to what you and your friends think, Marinette, I actually do care about Adrien. I want him to be happy…and, in the past, I may have been too…stubborn, to see who makes him feel that way."
Marinette could hardly believe her ears. "So—"
"Yes, this is an apology, blah blah blah, I'm sorry." Chloé whipped her hair and glanced away from Marinette. "Adrien's in the kitchen checking on your kwami-thingys, if you want to see him."
"Oh…okay. Thank you, Chloé." Marinette willed her feet to move, and she walked past Chloé to the far door.
"And Marinette?" Marinette turned back to the blonde girl. She smirked. "Don't think that this means anything. If you tell anyone I did this, we'll have a few problems."
Marinette found herself smiling. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Chloé hmmphed and strutted back into the bathroom. From where she stood, Marinette could hear her yelling, "Sabrina! Towel!"
Shaking the cobwebs from her head, Marinette headed into the kitchen.
It was a small room, not unlike her parents kitchen in the back of the bakery. There was some countertop space with some instant popcorn packets laid out on top, a stove, an oven, a microwave, and a couple of cupboards Marinette assumed were filled with pots and pans and other kitchen utensils. Near the back was a fairly large pantry, where Tikki and Plagg were munching away on a middle shelf, and Adrien stood back to back with the wall beside them.
He looked toward the door when Marinette entered and straightened up. "Hey! Did Chloé give you the same talk?"
"Yeah," Marinette said, leaning against the counter. "Came out of nowhere, huh?"
"Not really." Adrien glanced down at his shoes. "I kept trying to tell you guys, Chloé's a really sweet girl. She just got a little lost along the way."
Marinette nodded, believing him. There was an awkward silence. Before, when it was just her and Adrien, Marinette would babble on about the most remote things, sometimes (or more like always) not even making any sense. With Chat Noir, as Ladybug, it had always been easy. Their banter flowed as naturally as the Seine, and any pauses were taken up by akumas pressing the attack. Now, though, was the first time they had been alone together since finding out the truth, and Marinette had absolutely no idea what to say.
Adrien was the first to break the silence. "So, ah…you're Ladybug."
Marinette nodded again. "Yeah. And you're Chat Noir."
"Yeah." Another awkward silence, though shorter than the first. "You know, now that I know who you are, I'm pretty much kicking myself."
Marinette giggled. "Same here. I mean, how many blond-haired green-eyed guys with a feather allergy can there be in Paris?"
Adrien grinned. "Exactly." Then his smile faded. "You were sitting right behind me. Everyday, we saw each other, in and out of the mask. I had been searching for you everywhere, but I was too fucking stupid to just turn around."
Marinette frowned. "Adrien—"
"Holy shit!"
Adrien and Marinette glanced at each other before rushing out to the big room. They stopped short, gaping.
The floor was covered with pillows. They were variously colored red, black, and green, and spread out everywhere. Their classmates were cautiously stepping around them, trying to make their way to their beanbags.
"What is all this?" Adrien asked, moving to his seat, Marinette following.
"No idea," Alya answered. "We were all in the bathrooms, then Ivan yelled and well…here we are."
"Guys, there's a note!" Marinette picked up the folded paper that was sitting on her beanbag. Everyone crowded around as she opened it. "It's from QuickestSecret."
The handwriting was slightly messy, yet still legible. It looked as though their kidnapper/benefactor had hurriedly dashed it off before leaving.
Hey y'all!
I thought this would make things a little more interesting. You can thank Nino for the idea, actually. I hope I didn't go overboard. Anyways, hope you're having fun—I know I am!
Sincerely,
QuickestSecret
Marinette looked to Nino after reading the note. "What did you do?"
Nino simply picked up a pillow and smacked Adrien in the face.
"Dude!" Adrien stared at Nino. "What was that for?"
Nino shrugged. "Earlier I said that I wished I could whack you with a pillow. I guess QuickestSecret heard me somehow and decided it would be a good idea for all of us to have cushions."
"Sweet!" Alix cried. She grabbed a pillow and plopped down on her beanbag. Kim followed suit. Soon, everyone was comfortably situated with a 'Whacking Pillow', as Nathaniel dubbed them. Chloé had two, one behind her back, and another on her lap.
"Alright, interview time!" Alya cheered. "So…"
Alya and the rest of the class threw all kinds of questions at the two heroes. They were mostly about their abilities in the suits and their kwamis, who finally came out of the pantry. Marinette and Adrien answered as much as they could, while Tikki and Plagg were just as cryptic as ever. After a few minutes, Marinette shut down the impromptu interview, to Alya's slight disappointment.
"Okay," Marinette said, grabbing the remote. She had chosen a light green pillow, while Adrien had liked the look of a deep red one. "The next episode is—" She stopped short, gazing at the screen. Then Marinette burst out laughing. "The next one is Mr. Pigeon!"
Adrien cracked up as well. "Oh, man, he was a weird one!" he gasped out.
Marinette shook her head, giggling. "That's not the only reason why I'm laughing."
Alya raised her eyebrow. "Girl, what happened?"
Marinette calmed herself down. "You'll know it when you see it." She hit play.
[The scene opens at Collège Françoise Dupont.]
Mr. Damoclès: You only have one day to work on your fashion piece and it must be your own design. In ten hours, your finished presentation will be judged by none other than the great fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste! The father of our very own student, Adrien Agreste! [everyone oohs] In fact, Adrien will model the winning design in his next photoshoot! [Marinette gasps excitedly] And now, to announce this years theme: derby hats!
Marinette: [worried] Derby hats?
[Scene pans to Chloé, who gives a thumbs down.]
"Chloé," Alya asked curiously. "How is a thumbs down supposed to intimidate anyone?"
Chloé merely sniffed, not deigning to answer, but Marinette noted the flushing of her cheeks. She bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
[Scene change to courtyard. Marinette is flipping nervously through her sketchbook. Alya is sitting on a nearby bench.]
Marinette: Derby hat, derby hat…derby hat, derby hat! I don't have any derby hat designs! I've got top hats, caps, even two-horned hats! [Alya giggles] Need a beret? I'm your girl. A sombrero? No problemo! But a derby? You know what? It won't even matter 'cause I'll probably make a total fool of myself at the event, most likely trip over my stupid derby and collapse on Mr. Agreste! Give him a full-blown concussion and Adrien will hate me! I'll never be a world-renowned fashion designer, my life is over! [faceplants dramatically into Alya's lap]
The entire class was roaring with laughter.
"Girl, do you really imagine that?" Alya gasped, clutching her sides. "I see those rants almost daily, but this makes them so much better!"
"Guys, please!" Marinette felt heat shoot through her neck and cheeks, and she hid her face. "Come on, you know they're just taking liberties again."
"Liberties or not," Alix chortled, "that is some comedy gold right there." She dissolved into wild laughter again.
"M'Lady," Adrien said after he had calmed down some, "you need to have some faith in yourself. You're an amazing designer, and everything turned out great, right? You won!"
"But you were sneezing the entire photo shoot," Marinette pointed out, frowning.
Adrien waved a hand dismissively, smiling. "Not your fault. Besides, it wasn't too uncomfurtable."
Everyone groaned, their laughing fit cut short. Marinette simply rolled her eyes, picking up the remote and rewinding a few seconds. "I'd groan too, but unfortunately, I'm used to it."
Adrien grinned even wider. "Don't you mean, unfurtunately?"
Marinette hit him with her pillow. "Non."
Alya: All this over a derby hat? Let me see your sketchpad, girl. [takes sketchpad as Marinette sits down next to her] There must be something in here.
Marinette: [dejectedly] Forget it, I'm a disaster zone, I'll probably mess everything up in the end.
Adrien frowned. "Okay, if you're such a 'disaster zone', as you put it, then how do you end up saving Paris everyday?"
Marinette smiled. "I have a partner who wouldn't doubt me for the world."
Adrien sucked in a breath. "I…uh…"
"That and a magical suit that protects me from harm and an equally magical yoyo that can kick ass."
Adrien just stared at Marinette. Alya chuckled. "She's got you there, Agreste."
"Shut up!"
Adrien: Wow, Alya! [Alya jumps and Marinette flies off the bench] Those are some awesome designs! I didn't know you had such mad skills.
More than a few people laughed. "How do you even fall like that?" Juleka asked, grinning.
Marinette buried her head in her hands and moaned. "I don't know!"
Alya: Uh…thanks, Adrien, but I can't take the credit. These sick designs belong to Marinette! [Marinette nervously looks over the edge of the bench and waves] Off the chain, right?
Adrien: You're super talented, Marinette. [Alya winks] You seriously have a good chance of winning!
"And was I right?" Adrien glanced at Marinette, smirking.
Marinette rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I know, I know."
Marinette: Well, um, yeah! I like, um, designs, that, um…[Alya gives a thumbs up] go…upwards? [Adrien is confused, while Alya tries to tell Marinette to stop] Um, while stopping? I mean! [groans in defeat] Thanks?
"Not even five minutes in and Alya's already face-palming," Nino quipped amidst chuckles.
Alya whacked his arm with her pillow. "Trust me, babe, if you were there, you'd already be banging your head against the wall."
Adrien: Sure! And good luck. Maybe I'll be wearing your derby at Father's next photo shoot! [walks off with Marinette grinning after him]
Alix smirked. "That face, though."
"It's the expression of someone longing for love!" Rose cried enthusiastically.
Everyone looked at her curiously. Alix groaned. "No, I just meant that it…never mind."
Alya: Girl, you gotta get a grip next time! But did you hear? Adrien thinks you're good enough to win! [the girls celebrate while scene focuses on Chloé.]
Sabrina: Did you hear how impressed Adrien was with Marinette's des—
Chloé: [cuts her off] Of course I heard! Her? Win the contest? As if! When Adrien sees my design, he'll convince his father to award me the winner!
Sabrina: I'm sure he will, Chloé! You're a born champion! Your design will blow everyone else's out of the water!
Chloé: Yeah, it will, [scene focuses on Alya and Marinette] as soon as I can get my hands on this sketchpad!
"So…does that mean you actually think Marinette has a talent for designing?" Kim asked slyly.
Chloé gaped, then regained her poise. "Of—Of course not! I was only going to hide her sketchpad until the contest was over!"
"Sure, because that's what actually happened," Alya whispered to Marinette, who giggled before pressing play.
Alya: [looks at her phone] Only have nine hours until showtime!
Marinette: Yikes! I'm off to my secret garden of inspiration, I'll see you later! [slams into wall before nearly running past the exit] I'm okay! I'm okay I'm okay!
[Alya laughs, used to it.]
"Quick question," Nino said, motioning for Marinette to pause. "How is that—" he gestured to the screen. "Ladybug?"
"I can answer that," Adrien jumped in. "The first time we met—in the masks, I mean—Ladybug flew out of the sky, knocked me off my baton, and we ended up being tangled in her yoyo string. Ladybug being clumsy doesn't happen very often—the suit helps to prevent that—but I've sometimes seen her trip over a rooftop or stumble after a nasty hit."
"You know," Alya said thoughtfully, "I've sometimes seen that too, whenever I'm filming for the LadyBlog. Now that I know Marinette is Ladybug, that actually makes more sense."
"If you all are done talking about my clumsiness," Marinette interrupted, though not unkindly, "I'm going to put this back on."
[Transition and scene change to Hawkmoth.]
"Excuse me what?" Juleka was astonished. "No one's even got any negative feelings yet!"
The class murmured, uneasy. Adrien and Marinette glanced at each other. This guy clearly had no life if he could just stand around all day, waiting for someone to get upset.
That just made him even more dangerous.
Hawkmoth: The time has come for us to find our next victim, my wicked little akumas, and to prey upon Ladybug and Chat Noir. Their miraculouses must be mine!
[Scene change back to Marinette, close to the Eiffel Tower. She sketches an Eiffel Tower-themed hat before tearing the page out and trying again.]
"Why would you throw that away?" Adrien asked, amazed. "That was beautiful!"
Marinette blushed. "Thanks for the compliment, but the design didn't feel right. Part of designing is whittling down ideas, one by one, until you're left with the idea, the one you actually want to use. It may have looked good, but to me, I just didn't feel it."
Marinette: Jeez, it's hard to be creative under pressure.
Tikki: Marinette, you save the world under pressure! I think designing a hat should be a piece of cake!
Marinette: Hmm, a cake derby hat…stylish and tasty!
[The two giggle. Marinette then starts designing, one hat after the other, getting rid of the ones she doesn't like.]
"Ooh!" Rose pointed to a flower derby. "Could you make that for me sometime, Marinette?"
"I actually like the look of that musical one," Nino commented.
"I prefer the bee one," Myléne said. "It's really cute!"
Marinette laughed. "Guys, when we get out of here, I promise, I'll make those hats."
[A tired Marinette looks up from her work to see a man strutting along the walkway. He sits down and blows a bird whistle, calling the pigeons to him. Marinette ducks as one flies past her. The man throws out bread crumbs.]
Xavier: Well, happy day, happy day! Splendid is the afternoon day. [a pigeon lands on his arm and he feeds it] Ah, Edgard, you fancy one! [The pigeon spins in mid air happily] Fantastic! Dazzling performance!
"Let me guess," Alix said. "This is the weirdo who becomes Mr. Pigeon?"
The heroes nodded with identically excited grins.
Roger: [walks up to Xavier] Scram, you winged rats! How many times to you need to be told, Mr. Ramier? No. Feeding. The pigeons! [holds up bag of bread crumbs] It's strictly forbidden, if everyone feeds them they'll leave their waste everywhere!
"Technically," Max interjected, "they'll do that regardless."
Xavier: But who's going to feed my poor pigeons?
Roger: All the park keepers know about you, Mr. Ramier, you're banned from every park in Paris! Leave now or I'll call the authorities. Oh. Wait. I'm the authorities. Get out!
Nathaniel winced. "Okay, that was a tad harsh."
"He doesn't like it, you know." Everyone turned to Sabrina, who had spoken for the first time since entering the room.
Marinette raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"
Sabrina cast a nervous glance at Chloé, like she was waiting for approval to continue. Chloé scoffed. "You could've spoken up at anytime, I wasn't stopping you."
Sabrina turned back to the rest of the class, mildly relieved to know that she could participate. "After Mr. Pigeon, my dad told me that he doesn't like being that tough. It hurts him to know that he causes akumas. But he's a police officer, and officers need to be hard on people sometimes. It's his job, whether he likes it or not."
The class was silent, digesting this piece of information. At last, Marinette spoke up again. "Thanks for telling us that, Sabrina. It certainly sheds some light on your father's past actions."
Sabrina merely gave a weak smile and gazed at the floor.
Marinette: [watches Xavier leave] Sheesh, I almost feel sorry for that man.
Tikki: What a unique character! He was like a human bird. All he needed was a feather jacket to complete the look!
Marinette: A feather jacket…hmm. Nice thinking, Tikki! [eagerly resumes sketching]
"Hey!" Adrien pointed an accusatory finger at Tikki sitting on Alya's knees. "So you were the one that gave Marinette the idea to use feathers!"
"Um…" Tikki giggled and grinned nervously. "Whoops?"
Adrien wavered, then finally gave in. "It's okay, you didn't know," he said, patting Tikki's head with his finger. How anyone could stay mad at such a cute lil' thing, he didn't know.
[Transition and scene change to a place by the Seine. Xavier sits down on a bench, depressed. Scene change to Hawkmoth.]
Hawkmoth: Poor Mr. Ramier. The feeling of injustice, such easy prey for my akuma. [turns butterfly into akuma and sends it off] Fly away, my little akuma, and evilize him!
[Scene change back to Xavier. The akuma melds into his bird whistle.]
Hawkmoth: Mr. Pigeon? I'm Hawkmoth.
Myléne shivered. "You okay?" Ivan muttered. Marinette paused and looked over, along with Adrien.
"Yeah," Myléne nodded. "It was just the way Hawkmoth spoke. He sounded like he was merely greeting an acquaintance, not creating a supervillain. The fact that he can be that nonchalant while doing…that? That scares me more than anything else."
Marinette thought about that. Myléne had a point. Hawkmoth was a little too calm. Granted, Mr. Pigeon was one of the weaker akumas, but still.
Hawkmoth: Neither this police officer, nor any other of the park keepers should stop you from taking care of your friends. What would Paris be without pigeons? What would pigeons be without you?
"Fine, on both ends, actually," Max muttered annoyedly. "Honestly, it's like Hawkmoth didn't even think with this akuma!"
Alya giggled and put on a deep voice again. "Oh, look, there's a sad man who wants to take care of birds that can do perfectly fine living on their own. But I guess I'll akumatize him anyway!"
[Xavier laughs and the mist covers him. When he emerges, he is Mr. Pigeon. He laughs again and jumps on the bench, flapping his arms and making sounds like a pigeon, then he runs off.]
The class was in hysterics. "What the fuck was that?!" Alix gasped. "Oh God, please rewind, I want to see that again!"
Marinette, crying from laughter, did as she asked. Everyone watched the scene with bated breath, knowing what was about to happen. And when it did, they burst into laughter again, even harder than before.
"I can't believe we had to fight that!" Adrien wheezed, leaning against Marinette for support.
"So was that what you were laughing about earlier, Marinette?" Nino asked, after regaining some control over himself.
Marinette shook her head, grinning crazily. "Nope. I didn't even know how Mr. Ramier was transformed, so this was a—" She smothered a giggle. "Welcome shock."
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Alya urged. "Play it!"
[Scene change to Chloé hiding behind a pillar near where Marinette is sitting. She gives a thumbs up to Sabrina across the way, who runs over and hides by Marinette. Marinette finishes her design.]
Marinette: Yes!
[She holds up her sketchpad triumphantly. Sabrina takes a photo of the design.]
"So that's how you copied my design," Marinette murmured to herself.
"What were you saying about 'hiding the sketchpad', Chloé?" Juleka smirked over in the blonde's direction.
Chloé stared fixedly at the screen, not bothering to give even a condescending look.
Tikki: Now that's a derby!
Marinette: Thanks, Tikki!
"You know, Marinette," Tikki spoke up from Alya's knees. "We really dodged a bullet, there. If Sabrina had aimed the camera just a little lower—"
"You would've been spotted," Marinette said grimly. "Yeah, I was just thinking about that, too."
[Sabrina runs back to Chloé and gives her the photo.]
Sabrina: We're so awesome!
Chloé: [snatches phone] We?
Sabrina: Oh, right, sorry! You're so awesome, Chloé!
"Sabrina's awesome too, Chloé!" Rose said, crossing her arms.
"Oh, really?" Chloé said disdainfully.
"Yeah! She's smart, she's kind, she's hard-working, and even more than that, she's willing to put up with your crap with a mostly positive attitude! If Sabrina wants to take some of the credit for something, you should let her!" Rose finished.
Kim whooped. "Tell her, Rose!"
Chloé hmphed. "Whatever, can we just keep going already?"
But Marinette noticed that she put her hand on top of Sabrina's clasped ones, and when Sabrina looked up, Chloé gave a small, apologetic smile.
Sabrina: When are we—uh, you—going to make the hat?
Chloé: And ruin these nails? Of course not! Daddy'll pay someone to do it.
[She struts off, Sabrina following. Scene change to Marinette's room. Hat-making montage ensues. After Marinette inspects her hat, she starts to look around.]
Tikki: What are you looking for?
Marinette: A feather! I forgot to pick up a pigeon feather for the hat! It has to have a feather!
[She runs out]
"Nope." Adrien muttered. "Nope, no, you can leave it, it looks beautiful, you'll win anyway, nope, nope, nope…"
Marinette giggled. "I thought you said the sneezing was bearable?"
"It's not too bad, but that doesn't mean I like it," Adrien shrugged.
"Sorry." She took gently took his hand. Adrien squeezed and smiled softly.
"It's okay, you didn't know."
[Scene change back to Marinette's designing spot. She scares some pigeons who drop feathers. Marinette picks one up.]
Marinette: Yes!
[She runs into Roger, who looks at her quizzically.]
Marinette: Uh, sorry, Mr. Officer—sir! [giggles nervously and leaves]
[Roger looks after her then walks away before being carried off by pigeons.]
"Wait, I'm sorry, did Sabrina's dad just get pigeon-napped?" Ivan asked. "Is that a thing now?"
Adrien nodded. "Pretty much, yeah."
"How?!" Max exploded. "If it were one giant pigeon, that I could understand. But how did a cloud of small birds carry off a human? That's not possible!"
"Oh, it's possible," Marinette said. "They can also do a bunch of other stuff, like fly in formation and carry their master."
Max stared at her, then put his head in his hands. "I'm going to have problems with this episode, aren't I?"
"Yes!" the class chorused.
[Scene change to an impatient Marinette on a bus that is stuck on traffic. The light is green, but the bus isn't moving. A lone pigeon flies and settles on the traffic light.]
Marinette: Come on! Can't we go any faster?
Bus Driver: Sorry, folks. We have a situation here. You'll need to get off the bus now.
Marinette: [stops at the sight of so many pigeons on the road] Uh, this is…weird.
[She walks over to a screen.]
Nadja: Pigeons have taken over Paris.
Alya snorted. "Rrooo rolooo? That's the best that they could come up with for a caption?"
Nadja: This is just one of the many alarming situations giving authorities cause for major concern. [listens to earpiece] Yes, I've just been told that someone named 'Mr. Pigeon' is making an announcement.
[A video appears on screen of the Eiffel Tower. Someone points upward and the camera focuses on Mr. Pigeon.]
Mr. Pigeon: Oh, dreary day, poor Parisians! Roo, roo! Sorry to ruffle your feathers, but Paris now belongs to the pigeons! Flap, flap! Roo! Roooo!
Everybody was cracking up. "What the hell is it with this guy and pigeons?" Kim asked, sitting back on his beanbag.
"No clue, but this is amazing," Nino answered. "How did you guys take this dude seriously?"
Marinette and Adrien grinned. "It's kind of gotten to the point where we're not really fazed by anything anymore," Adrien said.
"Yeah," Marinette added. "On a danger scale of one to ten, this guy was pretty much a three."
[Marinette runs into the subway.]
Marinette: Paris needs us! Tikki, spots on!
[Transformation from Marinette to Ladybug. Scene change to Ladybug running along the rooftops.]
The class oohed. "That camera angle, though," Nathaniel said.
"Right?" Alix said. "I feel like I'm Ladybug!"
[Ladybug stops short, looking up at the sky. Pigeon planes are flying overhead.]
Most of the class looked to Max, who shrugged. "What?"
"They're pigeon planes," Sabrina said. She seemed much more comfortable speaking up now than before. "You don't have anything to say about that?"
"I've assumed that Mr. Pigeon has control over birds," Max reasoned. "Think about it: every akuma Ladybug and Chat Noir have battled has some sort of power, right? It would make sense that this guy does, too. So I'm not too upset about this one."
Ladybug: Now this is weirder than weird.
Chat Noir: [lying on the rooftop] Birds of a feather flock together! [sneezes and rolls down to Ladybug's level, then jumps up] I'm allergic to feathers. [sneezes again]
Ladybug: That's helpful.
Chat: Tell me about it. [goes to sneeze again, but stops himself] These birds are only part of the problem. The park keepers in Paris are vanishing without a trace!
Ladybug: What?! We have to track down Mr. Pigeon, ASAP!
Chat: Where are we going to find him?
Adrien's hand suddenly stiffened in Marinette's. She looked over at him. "Something wrong, mon minou?" she asked, her voice trembling from suppressed laughter.
"By any chance," Adrien said slowly, "that thing you were laughing at earlier…is that what's coming up next?"
Her grin told him everything.
Ladybug: Hmm…I don't know where we can find him, but I do know where he can find us!
[Scene change to the park. Chat Noir is wearing a police cap and whistling. Ladybug peeks around from behind a tree. Suddenly, Chat begins dancing.]
Ladybug: Act natural, or he'll never show up!
Chat: What do you mean? I am acting natural!
The class watched in silence. Almost as one, they turned to Adrien, who sank down into his bean bag. A quick peek to the right showed him that even Chloé was staring.
He sighed and placed his pillow over his face. "Go ahead," he said, slightly muffled.
It took everybody a good ten minutes to calm down enough for Marinette to hit play.
[A lone pigeon on a lamppost above Chat Noir takes off, heading for his master. He tells Mr. Pigeon what he saw.]
Mr. Pigeon: Ladybug and Chat Noir? Job well done, buddy boy! Pigeons will reign supreme. Power to the pigeons! Roo-hoo-hoo-hooo! [rides away on the pigeons]
Max stared at the screen. "How? Just—how? Pigeon-controlling powers, I can believe. But no amount of control can make pigeons carry a human, no matter what formation they're in!"
Marinette giggled sheepishly. "Maybe it's best if you just this one slide, Max."
[Scene change back to the park. Chat Noir is pacing while Ladybug is hiding behind a tree.]
Ladybug: Where is he? He should have been here by now!
[Chat sneezes. He looks up to see dozens of pigeons coming together to form a cloud. They rush him.]
Ladybug: What the?!
[She swings after the pigeons as they carry away Chat, dashing across rooftops and hopping buildings. They eventually end up at Le Grand Paris. The birds drop Chat onto the roof. He sneezes and glances around. Pigeons are watching him. Ladybug joins him.]
Chat: Where's that bird-brain Mr. Pigeon?
Ladybug: He's gotta be here somewhere.
[They look around, not noticing Mr. Pigeon above them, watching.]
"Really?!" Max yelled. "You can see in that shot that he has nowhere to stand! The 'platform', if you can even call it that, would constantly be moving around, since pigeons aren't hummingbirds and can't stay in one place!"
"Max, please." Adrien interrupted Max's rant. "For your sanity, just don't question the abilities of an akuma. I can vouch for the fact that it'll just give you a huge headache."
Hawkmoth: If you want to give Paris back to the pigeons for good, you must first rid the city of those two pests.
[Mr. Pigeon grins and blows his bird whistle. The pigeons take flight.]
Ladybug: Call me crazy, but I feel like birdseed all of a sudden.
[The pigeons surround them.]
Chat Noir: Got any bright ideas, bug?
Ladybug: You're the cat, don't you eat these things for breakfast?
"I'm allergic!" Adrien tried to defend. "How am I supposed to even get near them?"
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here first." Alya pretended she was holding a microphone. "It has been confirmed that Paris's superhero Chat Noir, the acclaimed 'cat hero', can't even cat right."
Adrien pouted while Marinette roared with laughter.
[A cage is lowered from above, trapping Ladybug and Chat Noir.]
Ladybug: [opens eyes] Look!
Mr. Pigeon: Rrooo! Chirpy day! I'm so ruthless.
Hawkmoth: Excellent. Now, take their miraculous!
Mr. Pigeon: Rroo! Rrooo! Your miraculous, give them to me! Or face the wrath of my feathered friends. [blows bird whistle and the pigeons begin to smash the roof in while others turn around and aim]
Rose shuddered. "Okay, now I understand why pigeon planes are terrifying."
Mr. Pigeon: Da da dee, on the count of three, my beloved pigeons will commence fire! [hops off the pigeon platform] You can still save your sorry skins by handing me your miraculous! One, two…
Ladybug: Chat Noir, the bars!
Chat: CATACLYSM!
[He destroys the cage and the duo advance on Mr. Pigeon.]
Chat: Well, well, looks like the pigeon is really a chicken!
Mr. Pigeon: Me? I'm not flying away. I'm just killing two birds with one stone! Rroo! Rrroo-oo-ooo!
"And that's the cue for the pigeons to rebel," Nino said. He noticed everyone staring at him. "What? Everytime the henchmen figure that their master's plan includes killing and/or placing the blame on them, they either back out or take revenge. Even though 'killing two birds with one stone' is an expression, the pigeons could still take it the wrong way."
Everybody looked confused. Nino sighed. "Oh, come on. Lion King? Voltron: Legendary Defender?"
Marinette raised an eyebrow. "Voltron? I don't remember anything like that."
"In season five!" Adrien joined in. "When Prince Lotor said he was going to make a new Altea, he said it would be one without knowledge of Princess Allura and her father, or the Galra. His Galran team didn't like that and they tried to pull out."
Marinette nodded, a light going in her eyes. "Oh, now I—okay. Gotcha."
[Mr. Pigeon blows his whistle and falls off the building. Ladybug and Chat Noir gasp and run to the edge in time to see him rise up on the pigeon platform—which reforms into a sleigh.]
Mr. Pigeon: Merry Christmas! [a pigeon package comes hurtling toward them]
Max's grumbles could be heard throughout the room.
[Ladybug and Chat Noir run for the exit, the pigeons hot on their tail. They make it inside and slam the door closed just in time. They slump to the ground, exhausted.]
Mr. Pigeon: I'm not done with you yet! Rrooo!
"Okay!" Max burst out. "I'm going to ignore the giant pigeon plane. But standing at that angle should be impossible! Unless the pigeons are holding onto him, the pavement should've taken care of Mr. Pigeon."
Kim smacked him lightly with his pillow. "Dude, just give it a rest."
[Scene change to Ladybug and Chat Noir running down the stairs. Chat's ring beeps.]
Chat: I've gotta get out of here before my secret identity is revealed!
Ladybug: Yeah, you wouldn't want to let the cat out of the bag.
Chat: Ha, ha, very funny.
"So you can make puns, but I can't?" Marinette smirked.
Adrien groaned. "It wasn't exactly the best time."
"Yeah, and your jokes are so well-placed."
[They run out into the lobby of the hotel. Someone points them out to Mayor Bourgeois, who runs over.]
Mayor Bourgeois: Ladybug! Chat Noir! I'm in great danger of losing big bucks if my guests leave Paris! You are going to get rid of those pigeons, aren't you? [Chat's ring beeps and he bounces up and down]
"Yes, that's very important," Nathaniel murmured. "Never mind your city, let's focus on keeping the tourists from leaving!"
Alya giggled. "Honestly, I was just watching Ladybug in that scene. You were so pissed off at Mayor Bourgeois, then you noticed Chat panicking and it was like it made your day!"
Marinette shrugged. "What can I say? It's fun to watch mon minou sweat a little."
"Not so much fun on this end," Adrien muttered.
Chat Noir: Course we are, but before we do, I have an urgent need!
Mayor Bourgeois: An urgent need? I see! Head to the Royal Suite. [snaps fingers and Chat runs to an elevator with a butler inside] There's paper in there! But perhaps you would prefer a litter tray? [giggles]
The class groaned. "Chloé, your dad makes terrible jokes," Adrien said.
Chloé sniffed. "He does not! Besides, you were the one who hinted that you needed to use the bathroom!"
"She's right, dude," Nino said. "You did sound like you had a certain emergency on your hands!"
Adrien grinned. "I know, but it's better than saying I'm about to detransform, right?"
"True."
Chat Noir: Oh, right! No need for litter. But, um, could I have some camembert?
[The elevator closes its doors. Mayor Bourgeois looks puzzled. He glances at Ladybug, who shrugs her shoulders, equally confused.]
The class chuckled. "Smooth as crunchy peanut butter, right there," Kim said.
"You really didn't know why I asked for camembert?" Adrien asked Marinette.
The blue-haired girl shook her head. "I thought kwamis all ate the same thing: cookies. To be honest, I thought the cheese was for you!"
Plagg spoke up before Adrien could reply. "As if I'd let anyone else touch my precious cheese! And cookies are disgusting. Too sweet!"
Marinette giggled. "I'll keep that in mind. Next time Adrien comes to the bakery, there'll be some camembert under the register for you."
Plagg gaped at her before turning to Adrien. "Kid, if you don't make a move, I will."
Marinette and Adrien blushed embarrassedly amidst laughter while Tikki hit Plagg on the back of the head. "Ouch!" Plagg yelped. "I said nothing, I meant nothing!"
[The butler opens the door to the suite and Chat Noir runs into the room.]
Chat: 'Scuse me, sorry, [slams door and leans against it] emergency!
[A knock forces him to open the door again.]
Butler: How do you like your camembert?
Chat: Runny! [slams door]
[Another knock forces him to open the door again.]
Butler: [with tray of cheese] Unpasteurized camembert, matured for two years.
Chat: [takes tray and slams door for the last time] Thanks!
"Props to the butler!" Juleka said. "Excellent room service."
"How does he move that fast?" Rose wondered.
Adrien shrugged. "He wasn't really that fast. They're just taking liberties. But I was panicking the whole time; what if he opened the door and saw Adrien Agreste instead of Chat Noir?"
"Well, he was knocking, not barging in," Marinette pointed out.
"Of course the staff knock!" Chloé interrupted crossly. "We don't hire savages."
"You could've just asked him to leave the tray in the hall and come out for it when he was gone." Marinette continued, ignoring Chloé.
"Hm…" Adrien mulled it over. "I'll have to remember that trick."
[Chat Noir's ring beeps and he detransforms back into Adrien. Plagg zooms out of the ring and lands on Chloé's bed.]
Plagg: Oh, the exhaustion, my poor aching body, I can't move a muscle!
Adrien: You wanna bet? [sets down tray and takes the lid off]
Plagg: My gooeyness! [begins to dig in]
Tikki smirked at Plagg. "Couldn't move a muscle, huh?"
Plagg crossed his tiny arms. "I smelt my cheese. What was I going to do, let it sit there?"
Adrien: Eat up, buddy. Ladybug needs help!
[Scene change to Ladybug coming out of the elevator on a different floor.]
Ladybug: Great, I can get a much better view from up here. [walks over to the window] Odd…pigeons are flying in the same direction. Better go follow them!
[Elevator dings and Ladybug looks back to see Chat Noir.]
Chat: Ready when you are, LB!
Ladybug: Let's go!
[She runs into the elevator. Chat presses a button and the doors close.]
"How did you know where Ladybug was?" Sabrina asked Adrien.
Adrien grinned. "Our baton and yoyo aren't just weapons. They're also cell phones, GPS's, alarms and they can help us track where the other is, in case we get separated."
Everyone murmured, digesting this new piece of information about their heroes.
[Scene change to the Grand Palais. A flock of pigeons fly inside with Ladybug and Chat Noir trailing them. They land outside and peek in to see the park keepers in a cage.]
Ladybug: So that's where Mr. Pigeon's keeping the park keepers he abducted.
Chat: The Grand Palais. [Ladybug stops his sneeze] My pigeon radar's on high alert!
Ladybug: Either your radar's on the brink, or Mr. Pigeon's left the park keepers unattended.
Chat: Let's set the cat among the pigeons! [Ladybug stops him]
Alix laughed aloud. "You went from a poor, sick kitten to a murderous cat in no time."
Adrien chuckled. "Speaking with my allergies in mind, I'd pretty much had it with this guy."
Ladybug: Hold up, kitty. It's…too easy. I've got a plan!
[She runs off with Chat Noir following. Meanwhile, a pigeon flies into the building from where it had been watching the two heroes.]
"So you could smell a trap, but you didn't think to check for spies?" Nathaniel asked jokingly.
Marinette giggled. "Ah, come on, give me some credit. In comparison, chaton here couldn't smell anything!"
Adrien gave a sly smile. "Even though I was sick, Mr. Pigeon couldn't catch me!"
Marinette and Nino, who were closest, bashed the laughing boy with their pillows while the class groaned.
Mr. Pigeon: Perfect timing, ho-de-ho! We're ready to greet them, aren't we? They're going to fall right into my trap. [holds out arm for pigeon spy to land on and starts petting it] It won't be long before you get your miraculous, friend.
Hawkmoth: I can't wait, my dear pigeon.
Alya blinked. "Is it just me, or do they have some shipping material?"
"Alya!" Marinette recoiled as if her friend had just said she was Hawkmoth. "Ew, no! Why would you think that!?"
A moment of silence passed, then Myléne raised a hand tentatively. "Actually, I can kind of see it."
"Me too," Rose chimed in.
Marinette buried her head in her hands. I need some friends who don't ship Paris's villains.
[Scene change to Ladybug and Chat Noir running across the rooftop.]
Ladybug: If we can destroy that bird call, we'll be able to capture the akuma!
[The two gaze down through the glass ceiling at Mr. Pigeon.]
Ladybug: Okay, you open the window, I'll grab him and yank him up onto the roof, then you snag his bird call away from him!
Chat: Let's go. Early bird gets the worm!
[He unlatches the window and opens it to let out a gust of air—and pigeon feathers. He sneezes and it startles Ladybug who botches the throw. The yoyo grazes the pigeon on Mr. Pigeon's arm, who looks mildly surprised. It clatters to the floor, then zooms back to Ladybug's hand. Mr. Pigeon looks up.]
The class chuckled. "And that was the moment that Chat Noir realized," Kim said in a deep voice. "He fucked up."
"Not on purpose!" Adrien said in a wounded voice, but he was grinning.
Marinette smiled to herself. Adrien never took any offense, intended or not. He just let it roll off his back. Keeping grudges was alien to him. That, in her opinion, made the boy even kinder than he would ever know.
Ladybug: So much for the element of surprise!
[They leap in and rush Mr. Pigeon, who falls off the catwalk and is caught by the pigeons.]
Mr. Pigeon: Rroo! Rrooo! [laughs]
"Those pigeons should have been crushed!" Max began, but before he could continue, the room erupted with loud cries of "Enough!" and "Just accept it!" and "It's magic, just roll with it!"
Max leaned back and crossed his arms. "I'd whack you all with my pillow, but I'm not about to get up."
[The heroes chase Mr. Pigeon, but he blows his bird whistle and the pigeons gather to form giant boxing gloves.]
Mr. Pigeon: Deedily-dee-dee! Come closer, I have a bone to peck with you!
Chat Noir: I'd be honored!
[Mr. Pigeon "punches" Chat and Ladybug, who fly back against the cage.]
"Aaand get shreked!" Ivan yelled as the on screen heroes slumped to the floor. Everyone laughed.
Marinette rolled her eyes playfully as Adrien went to pummel Ivan with his pillow. "I'm so glad you find our pain amusing."
Roger: Get us out of here, Ladybug!
"Sure, just ignore the cat," Adrien muttered, walking back to his beanbag. "Forget the sidekick, only Ladybug can—" He stopped short, noticing Marinette staring at him. "What?"
Marinette stood up and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling his face closer to hers while ignoring the oohs that suddenly filled the room. "You are not my sidekick. You never were, and you never will be. You are my partner. I am not better than you, and you are not better than me. We are equals. Got that?"
Adrien gave a minute nod, swallowing nervously. "Yes," he said in a low voice.
Marinette suddenly became aware of how small the space between them was. "Okay, um…good. Glad that's taken care of," she said, awkwardly releasing Adrien and sitting back down.
Adrien sat down as well. After Marinette hit play, he hesitantly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She smiled shyly and shifted slightly so she was leaning against him.
Ladybug: LUCKY CHARM! [a coin falls into her hand] A coin? What am I supposed to do with this? [looks around using Ladybug vision]
Mr. Pigeon: You can't buy yourself out of here! Rroo! [launches pigeons]
[Ladybug runs toward Mr. Pigeon and slides underneath, wrapping her yoyo string around his ankle. She flips up to a support beam and wraps the yoyo string around that, too. Then she runs over to the vending machine and buys some popcorn.]
Ladybug: Chat Noir!
Chat: Yeah!
[Ladybug throws the popcorn.]
"Whoa!" Kim stared at the screen, amazed at the height of the popcorn. Then he turned to Marinette. "You're on my team for dodgeball next time we play."
"Hold up, if you get Ladybug, I get Chat Noir!" Alix cut in.
"Fair enough."
The heroes looked at each other. "M'Lady, I think we just got auctioned off," Adrien said confusedly.
Marinette grinned. "I'll destroy you."
"Go ahead and try!"
[Chat Noir throws his baton and it pierces the bag, scattering popcorn. It falls over Mr. Pigeon.]
Ladybug: Snack time, pigeons!
Mr. Pigeon: Nooo!
[Ladybug pulls on the yoyo string and drags Mr. Pigeon back and up. The bird whistle slides over his neck and falls to the ground.]
Mr. Pigeon: My bird call! Noo-oo-ooo!
Ladybug: Chat Noir! Grab it!
[Chat takes the bird whistle—but sneezes. The bird whistle flies into the air. Ladybug gasps and runs after, letting go of the yoyo string.]
"Why did you let go?" Rose asked confusedly. "Why not wait for it to fall and for Chat Noir to grab it again?"
Marinette grinned sheepishly. "I, ah, didn't think. Heat of the moment."
[Chat Noir runs after the bird whistle as well. Mr. Pigeon lands and dashes towards it. Mr. Pigeon reaches it first, with Chat and Ladybug following. Ladybug takes Chat's hand and smashes it down on Mr. Pigeon's, crushing the bird whistle.]
Adrien flexed his right hand and grimaced. "That actually really hurt."
Marinette took the hand and squeezed it gently. "Sorry."
"It's okay, you did what you had to do."
Ladybug: [opens yoyo] No more evil doing for you, little akuma! Time to de evilize! [catches akuma and cleanses it] Got'cha! Bye bye, little butterfly! [throws coin upwards] MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!
Xavier: Huh? What happened? Where am I?
Ladybug and Chat Noir: Pound it!
Hawkmoth: Wretched pigeons. Wretched Ladybug! I'll destroy every one of you! [growls as window closes]
"Okay, so now Hawkmoth has a vendetta against pigeons?" Sabrina asked.
Marinette smothered a giggle. "Apparently."
[Ladybug transition and scene change to Marinette's house.]
Marinette: There's no time to lose. I've got less than an hour!
[Work montage ensues as the clock winds down. Scene change to Collège Françoise Dupont. Everyone's set up while Alya tries calling Marinette.]
Alya: Where is that girl?
"Oh, you know," Marinette answered on screen Alya. "Out and about, saving Paris from a pigeon fanatic, the usual."
Alya turned to her. "Mr. Pigeon was normal for you?"
"You know what I mean!"
Nathalie: Hello, Mr. Damocles, I'm Mr. Agreste's executive assistant Nathalie.
Mr. Damocles: Hello, miss. Pardon me, but, uh, where is Mr. Agreste?
Gabriel: [as Nathalie holds up the tablet] I'm here.
Mr. Damocles. Ah, uh, hello, Mr. Agreste. Welcome to our school!
Gabriel: Adrien, take Nathalie around.
"Your father sounds so bored!" Nino turned to his best friend. "You're basically showing him your friend's talents, not to mention your school, and he can't even bother to show a little enthusiasm?"
Adrien sighed. "That's Father for you."
Chloé: [gasps] There's Mr. Agreste! He's coming this way! [strikes pose, Sabrina following suit]
Mr. Damocles: As you'll see, Mr. Agreste, our students have poured their hearts and souls into their projects!
[Adrien watches as Marinette runs in. She places the hat box on her podium.]
Alya: Where have you been?! Got your hat?
Marinette: Here! [takes hat box off]
[Alya admires the hat, then frowns.]
Marinette: What? [turns to look as Gabriel reaches Chloé]
Chloé: Uh, hi, Mr. Agreste! [bows] Um, I'm Chloé Bourgeois, you know my father, Andre Bourgeois, the mayor?
"Name dropping." Alix rolled her eyes. "So mature, Chloé."
Marinette: Ooh, that thieving little brat!
"I am not a brat!" Chloé huffed, but everyone broke out into affirmations and nodding heads.
Chloé whipped her hair and sat back on her pillow. "Rude."
Alya: Do you want me to take care of it?
Marinette: I think I can handle this!
"Damn!" Kim called out. "Marinette's got a sneaky face on!"
"Alya looks so nervous, though!" Juleka said.
"Can you blame me?"
[Gabriel examines Marinette's hat.]
Gabriel: Hmm. Turn the tablet back to Miss Bourgeois's hat. [looks at Chloé's hat again] Is this a joke?
Chloé: [gasps] No fair! Marinette copied my design! It's scandalous! How could you do that! [bangs head on podium fake-crying]
Marinette: I apologize for this situation, Mr. Agreste, but I can prove that this derby hat is my original design!
Gabriel: [turns back to Marinette] Go ahead.
Marinette: Um, everything on my derby hat is handmade, from the embroidery to the weaving of the band to the stitching of the brim, all done by myself. And last, there's a special design element that only the true designer know about. [turns hat upside down] I sign mine!
The room erupted into whoops and cries of " Burn, Chloé, burn!" Adrien squeezed Marinette's hand.
"Just as smart as ever, M'Lady," he murmured.
Marinette giggled and booped his nose. "You were there, you silly cat."
Adrien ignored the growing heat on his neck and ears and smiled. "Still doesn't fail to amaze me."
[Chloé gasps, knocking over the podium. She runs off, leaving everyone to see that she, too, had signed Marinette's name into her hat.]
Chloé: Daddy!
"Chloé, that person you hired to make the hat," Alya said once the room had quieted. "Didn't they see that there was a name in the design?"
Chloé sniffed. "Obviously not."
Gabriel: Very exquisite creation, you definitely have the laboring hands of a hatmaker, Miss…
Adrien: [places hand on Marinette's shoulder] Marinette!
Gabriel: Congratulations on your demonstration, Miss Marinette. You're the winner.
Marinette: [bows] Thank you! Thank you, thank you!
Gabriel: Adrien will wear your derby on our next advertising campaign.
Adrien: [places his hands on hers] Awesome job, Marinette.
"Stop!" Nino yelled.
Marinette started and, after quickly finding the remote, paused the episode. "What?"
Nino turned to Adrien with a sly smirk on his face. Adrien gulped. "Um…hi?"
"Do you want to explain," Nino began in a slow voice, walking to the screen and rewinding. "Why you're winking at Marinette?" He paused at the exact moment.
Everyone stared. Adrien was indeed winking at the contest winner!
Adrien shrugged. "I winked. Sometimes I wink at my friends. So what?"
Nino raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You never wink at me, or Alya or Chloé, though. So why don't you tell us why you're winking at Marinette, hm?"
Adrien shrunk into his beanbag, pulling his arm back from around Marinette's shoulders to scratch the back of his neck nervously. "I…was being nice?"
"And that hand-touching." Alya leaned over to look at him shrewdly. "There were a million different ways to take the hat, yet you chose the way that had you cupping Marinette's hands."
"So?" Adrien's voice cracked.
Alya smiled slowly. "Adrien. Did you have a crush on Ma—"
"Look, can we just finish the episode? Please?" Adrien was staring down at his lap, cheeks flaming.
Marinette felt bad for him, even though her heart was doing backflips in her chest. "Sure," she said softly. She shot a look at Alya, who had opened her mouth to ask again, then hit play.
[Marinette giggles nervously. Adrien goes to put the hat on his head, but he sneezes. The girls gape as he wipes his nose.]
Adrien: Sorry, I'm allergic to feathers! [sneezes again]
Marinette: Gesundheit!
Adrien: Thanks…
"Okay, how did you not figure it out then?" Ivan asked. "Two guys who look almost exactly alike with the same allergy. How did you not see it?"
Marinette shrugged. "Lots of people are allergic to animals. I thought that an allergy to feathers was pretty common."
Alix snickered. "That ending screen, though. Adrien's in the front looking sick and depressed, Marinette's behind him jumping Alya, and in the background there's a giant pigeon hat lording over everything."
The class chuckled at her summary, before getting up and heading to the bathrooms. Nathaniel and Rose went to the kitchen to make some popcorn for everyone. Soon just Adrien and Marinette remained.
"So, ah…" Marinette cast around. "Did you have a crush on me?" Adrien froze and she mentally cursed herself. "Sorry, sorry! That was rude, it's none of my business, I shouldn't have—"
"Yeah."
Marinette stopped her rant, looking back at Adrien. "Pardon?"
Adrien leaned back on his beanbag and gazed at the ceiling. "Yeah, I think I had a crush on you."
After a moment, Marinette leaned back too. She crossed her arms over her chest, if only to have something to do with them. "You think?"
"Well, I don't think I knew it at the time," Adrien said slowly. "Obviously, I had a huge crush on Ladybug—you, I mean, but I didn't know that yet, obviously." He chuckled at his own awkwardness, and Marinette smiled. "But subconsciously, maybe I did like you as more than a friend. Maybe I just couldn't acknowledge it because my stupid hormones kept screaming 'girl in red spandex' instead of 'girl who won a designing contest'."
They laughed, Marinette blushing a bit. After they had calmed down, they lay in silence for a moment. Then Adrien broke the quiet.
"Were you disappointed?"
"Hm?" Marinette felt a little lazy and was having trouble concentrating. "Whattya mean?"
"I mean," Adrien heaved himself into a sitting position and wrapped his arms around his knees. "Were you disappointed that it was me under the mask?"
Marinette gaped. "Have you been watching a different show? Of course I'm not disappointed! Far from it, actually." She sat up as well, turning herself to Adrien. "My crush and partner are one and the same. How could I be upset about that? Why would I be upset? Adrien—" She lay a hand on his forearm and he looked at her. "I'm over the moon that it was you."
Adrien smiled and brought her hand to his lips. She blushed, an intense heat covering her cheeks.
"GET A ROOM!" Kim yelled from the bathroom.
The two heroes jumped apart, blushing. "I thought we already had one!" Adrien called back. A crazy desire to laugh filled Marinette, and laugh she did. Adrien gave her a confused look, then he started snickering as well.
"Hey, uh, Adrien?" Nathaniel peeked out from the kitchen. "Plagg's in here and ah…well, you'd better come quick."
Adrien calmed, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'll be back in a second," he said, smiling at Marinette. He got up and walked to the kitchen, leaving Marinette alone.
But that was okay with her. Marinette let out a happy sigh and threw herself back on her bean bag, content to just close her eyes and dream.