Dabble in Drabbles 36: Masks Mewsplaced
Rant down below! You can just skip it if you want! (It's pretty depressing)
You know what discourage me the most? When I'm proud of achieving something important, and the people who helped me say, "You should be grateful that we helped you. Without us, you wouldn't have been able to do it." "That's great that you did it! But don't get so full of yourself." (It's the most stressful and greatest achievement I got in my entire life and you're telling me I'm full of myself?) "We are helping you because we are good people." (No kidding, they say that)
It makes me feel like I was just there to do it and they did all the other work for me. It made me feel like I'm dependent on them and that I'm nothing and wouldn't have achieved anything without them.
I am grateful, don't get me wrong. It's just…I'm expected to 'glorify' them and give something back to them and – idk where I'm going with this.
I just feel worthless. Like I'm not good enough. They especially shower their daughter with praises about how she's so responsible and watch all these educational shows rather than watching those anime and cartoons that fill my head with nothing useful and how I should be just like her. They keep saying, "Our daughter is like this and that because we raised her like this and that" "Our daughter is like this because we raised her right" "If she did this, then you should be able to do it too" "You're lucky you're not our daughter"
The thing is that their daughter is like a sister to me. I love her. But I will never be like her. And it's getting increasingly hard for me to really like myself because I'm constantly being compared to her. It's like being me isn't good enough.
Who am I now? Am I the musician who got accepted in the university with the help of many people? Or am I the girl who wouldn't be able to do anything without their help?
*siiiiighhhh* *I feel like crap* *sorry if I made you feel like crap*
I'm sorry! I shouldn't have ranted here! I just wanted to put it down somehow! I'm gonna edit that out later.
But this is a fluffy chapter! Don't worry!
Summary: When Chloe is hosting a masquerade ball at the Grand Paris Hotel, Marinette decides to do a Chat Noir themed dress. It's not like he would be there to see it, right?
"A dream is a wish your heart makes," Marinette sang as she measured up a black velvet fabric and marked the place with a pin, "when you're fast asleep."
"In dreams, you will lose your heartache," A smooth tenor voice coming from her balcony cut in the famous Disney song, "whatever you wish for, you keep."
Marinette squeaked and threw a large cloth over the mannequin. She turned around just as Chat Noir peeked from the crack on her trapdoor. He gave her a toothy grin. "Good evening, purrincess!"
"Chat! What a c-coincidence! Y-You're here!" Marinette said, creeping towards her desk and inconspicuously closed her sketchbook. "What can I do for you?"
Chat Noir raised an eyebrow at this. It was strange for Marinette to stutter around him - the Chat Noir him, not the Adrien him of course. As Adrien, this was a norm, but for Chat Noir, not so much.
Swinging down, he landed silently in the middle of her bedroom, crouching on all fours. His eyes darted from her messy worktable to the covered mannequin and settled on the nervous look on her face. A sly grin grew on his lips. He pounced towards the model, but Marinette intercepted him. Just as his claws were about to snag the fabric, Marinette got a hold of his wrists and pulled him away from her creation.
Unfortunately, Marinette lost her balance. With a squeak from her and a yowl from Chat Noir, both of them fell painfully on the floor.
"Ow, Chat, you're heavy!" Marinette complained as she struggled under his weight. Chat Noir realized the compromising position they were in, and he, much to Marinette's chagrin, gave her a smug smirk. He leaned down, forcing her to lean backward until the back of her head thumped on the wooden floorboard.
"Cat got your tongue?" He said huskily. A dark blush bloomed on her face. His smile grew wider like the Cheshire Cat. With a frown, she pushed his face away.
"You wish, you mangy cat." Marinette retorted.
He laughed as he stood and pulled her up with him. Chat Noir glanced at the mannequin again, his curiosity still perked up, but he knew Marinette would stab him with a needle before he could even get two feet near it. He asked, "So what have you been working on that is so hush-hush?"
Marinette turned red some more. "It's a secret."
He eyed her reaction with interest. It was rare for Marinette to act like this around him. If he remembered correctly, she had only done that around Adrien. So what happened that would garner Marinette to act around Chat the way she acted around Adrien?
"You know, you're making me extremely curious here, princess." Chat Noir said playfully.
"Curiosity killed the cat." Marinette pointed out.
He had heard that line too many times. He replied automatically, "But satisfaction brought it back. C'mon, princess, it can't hurt to let me see your creation. You know how I love your designs."
"You can't look!" Marinette snapped. Chat Noir took a step back in surprise. Her eyes widened and she spluttered out apologies. "No, not in that way! I mean – just you! I-it's a secret! And it would be embarrassing for you to – argh, what am I saying?"
He watched as she palmed herself on the face. Whatever she was making, it was obviously not for his eyes. "Okay, I won't pry any longer."
Marinette looked up to him. "What?"
Chat put a hand on his chest and another one up at his side like a pledge. "I won't pester you with your design until you say so. Cat's honor."
Her smile was so bright and relieving that his heart skipped a beat. "Thanks Chat."
"Mew problem." He said. "So are we gonna have another round of Ultimate Mecha Strike III?"
"I'm so gonna kick your ass." Marinette declared as she turned on her computer.
Chat grinned. "Say that after you beat my 5 time winning streak."
"I was just going easy on you, minou." Marinette said teasingly. Chat knew that, but he wasn't going to let those five wins go even if she had given him some slack.
Taking one last glance at the mysterious creation behind the white cloth, he faced the computer and forced his curiosity away. She would tell him when the time was right. For now, he was determined to take a sixth win.
"C'mon, girl! You gotta go in there and strut your stuff!"
"Alya, please! I'm going to make myself a foolish fool!"
"Pfft. Foolish fool. You're funny. Now come on! You're not going make Adrien's jaw drop if you don't show yourself!"
With a last violent tug, Alya managed to pull Marinette away from the corner of the Grand Paris Hotel. Marinette stumbled out into the sidewalk, her black heels threatening to make her fall, before steadying herself while clinging on Alya's arm.
Even in the dim lighting, one could tell that Marinette's dress was simple and elegant, but stunning. The deep bateau neckline, tea length silk dress was as dark as midnight with a faint forest leaves shimmer. She was accessorized with wrist length gloves of the same fabric as the dress, a choker with a bell, and a black mask. Her hair was down and pooled around her glittered shoulders.
"Come on, stand up straight." Alya commanded. "We're gonna go in there like celebrities with our chins held up high and hips swaying."
"Alya!" Marinette giggled, but her nervousness ebbed away with her best friend's enthusiasm.
Alya slipped her arm around hers. "Marinette, this is a ball! A masquerade ball! This is a once in a lifetime chance for Cinderella to snag her Prince Charming!"
"I think you have a crazier imagination than I do." Marinette said with a laugh as she followed her friend inside.
The ball room was huge and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling mosaic windows leading out into an open-aired balcony overlooking the sprawling city of Paris. Between red velvet curtains were decorative wall lights. Hanging from the ceiling were small chandeliers circling around a grand and majestic crystal chandelier. The floor was polished until it reflected the lights and the attires of the people in the room. On the far end of the room were two stages. One was an empty DJ booth, and the other was occupied by a string quartet playing a soft waltz.
"Hey, Alya." A voice spoke up from behind the two girls who were lingering at the entrance. Alya whirled around and her eyes lit up at the sight of her boyfriend. Nino was in a casual black suit and light blue tie. He said, "Aren't you two going to…"
His sentence trailed off as he looked up and down at the reporter. Alya smirked. Her hair was in a high bun, with stray hair framing the side of her blue masked face. She was wearing a V-neck sparkling tulle dress that was light blue from the top and faded into white at the bottom of her mini skirt. It finished off with silvery white peep toe strap stiletto heel pumps. The ensemble complimented her warm skin tone and accented her curves.
"Like what you see?" Alya teased as she pushed Nino's chin up, closing his slack jaw with a click. He shook his head and smiled brightly at her.
"You look beautiful." He said honestly. Her cheeks warmed up and she laced her fingers with his.
She complimented, "You clean up nicely as well, Spielberg."
Marinette, who felt like a third wheel in her friends' intimate moment, slipped away unnoticed. Walking inside, she couldn't help but notice that not only were students from her school here, but ambassadors, celebrities, and other important people as well. Looks like Chloé went all out this year.
"I wonder where Adrien is." Marinette mumbled to herself.
Tikki popped out from a secret pocket in her skirt and said, "Maybe he's being dragged around by Chloé."
Marinette pouted. She was hoping she could at least have one dance with him. Just then, Marinette bumped into the lean chest of a stranger. Tikki popped back inside. "I-I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!"
"Ladybug?!"
Marinette stiffened and looked up. Emerald green eyes looked down at her through a dark red mask. Even if they weren't cat-like, she knew those familiar eyes anywhere.
"Chat Noir?!"
She took a step back and surveyed his attire. His hair was brushed back, for once not obscuring his face. He was wearing a white tux shirt with a dark red bow tie. His tuxedo shone with a dark red sheen when it hit the light. From the fabric and the way it was tailored to his body shape, Marinette could tell that it probably cost a lot of money. His relaxed state also showed that he seemed used to this kind of environment.
It was strange, seeing their partners without their superhero masks, but still with masks. It was like Fate was against them knowing each other's true civilian form.
"I've never seen you with your hair down." Chat Noir murmured as he ran a silken thread of hair through his gloveless fingers. Marinette flushed at the way his eyes roamed on her skin that was usually covered with a ladybug patterned suit. He looked back at her face and smiled. "You look absolutely gorgeous, my lady."
"You look handsome as well, mon chaton." Marinette complimented. "Although, should I call you mon coccinelle instead?"
Chat Noir grinned. "So why are you here, my lady?"
"One of my classmates is hosting this ball." Marinette said. "So I was invited."
"O-Oh." She tilted her head in puzzlement at his odd reaction. He rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Yeah! Me too! I mean, not that I'm classmates with your classmates of course, but I was invited from outside your class."
She frowned at the weird way he phrased his sentence. For some reason, he looked both happy and anxious at the same time. Just then, a waltz came up. If he still had cat ears, it would've perked up at the sound of the music. Chat Noir held out his left hand and bowed at her. "Care to dance, my lady? Or should I say ma chaton?"
"Of course, buginette." She placed her right hand over his and allowed him to pull her towards the middle of the ballroom floor.
Just as they were about to dance with the music, however, Marinette stopped. Chat Noir looked at her in curiosity. "My lady? What's wrong?"
"I-I can't dance." Marinette said quietly in embarrassment. When he said nothing, she looked up. He was trying to suppress his laughter. "You're laughing at me!"
"No, my lady, I'm not!" Chat Noir said quickly as she tried to tug away from his arms. "Really, Ladybug, I'm not laughing at you! I swear!"
Marinette gave him a skeptical look. He composed himself and then said, "I just find it amewsing that the clawsome and pawerful Ladybug have two left paws."
She groaned at his barrage of puns. "Chat, please."
Chat Noir tut as he tinkled the small bell on her choker. "You're Chat Noir. I'm Ladybug right now."
"Whatever you say, bugaboo." Marinette rolled her eyes, but a smile still lingered on her lips.
Resting her right hand on his shoulder while holding her other hand, he placed his right on the small of her back and pulled her in. He took the lead as she willingly followed. Twirling her around, making her skirt bloom around her knees, he marveled at how he dreamed of this moment and that it was actually happening to him now.
As she returned back in his arms, Chat Noir asked, "Won't you let me see you beneath the mask, my lady?"
Ladybug faltered in her step, but regained her footing. "You know we can't, chaton. It's too dangerous. It might put our friends and family in harm's way."
Chat frowned. He knew his partner well enough to see that she was still holding back something from him. Then he realized. "Are you scared that I'll be disappointed if I knew the real you?"
Her silence was confirmation. Chat Noir cupped her chin and made her look in his eyes. It would be so easy to just take the cover off her face and see the real beauty underneath. He said seriously, "I would never be disappointed in you, Ladybug. With or without the mask, I-"
"Don't." Ladybug's eyes shimmered like the deep ocean blue. "I'm not the same with the mask off."
"But you're still the same person with it or without. The mask just brings out what's hidden beneath." Chat Noir said. But seeing that she refused, he gave up on it. "Well, it was worth a try. I'm just lucky that I got to dance with you tonight."
Ladybug sighed exasperatedly at his pun. "I guess your bad luck rubbed off me."
He chuckled and was about to say another pun-filled sentence when the piece ended. Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other and separated. Chat Noir took a deep bow. Ladybug curtsied.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around." Ladybug said. "My friend must be searching for me already."
Chat Noir started to protest, but then remembered that he had ditched Nino. He sighed and nodded, watching her retreating back. Plagg popped from underneath his tuxedo. "Well that was depressing."
"You can say that again." Adrien said. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the DJ booth, knowing his best friend would be waiting impatiently for the second half of the night. Just as he neared two familiar figures, he spotted her again. Nino caught sight of him and waved his hand.
"Adrien!" Nino said. "I wanna ask, since when did you start flirting with Marinette?"
Adrien frowned. "Marinette?"
He looked at the girl beside him. She looked back at him with wide eyes.
Alya said with a sly grin, "Finally seeing what's in front of you?"
See what's in front of him…?
Ladybug was standing in front of him.
Marinette was standing in front of him.
Both of them stared at each other. Alya and Nino exchanged looks. "I think we broke them."
"A-Adrien?! Y-You're…" Marinette said in disbelief.
Adrien looked at her in awe. He said in a breathy whisper, "My lady."
Marinette opened her mouth, and then she bolted.
By the time Adrien realized what had happened, she was already halfway across the room. That girl could run.
"Wait! Marinette, wait!" Adrien shouted as he ran after her. Slipping through the crowd and bumping into people, he continued his pursuit his eyes trailed after the telltale black skirt. She had always slipped through his grasp, both from his shower of affections and his desire to know her identity. But now that he knew, he wasn't going to let her go. "Marinette!"
He grabbed hold of her arm. She whirled around and looked at him, eyes wide with fear and vulnerability. Adrien gasped as he tried to catch his breath, still holding onto her. "P-Please don't go."
Straightening up, he led her to the middle of the ballroom. Marinette quietly trailed after him.
"Please look at me." Adrien requested softly. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground. "Please…my lady."
She finally turned her eyes at him and he was blown away by the absolute similarity between Ladybug and Marinette. He gazed at her, thoughtful and in amazement.
He lifted his hand and brushed the bangs away from her face. "Princess."
He stroked the edge of her black mask. "My lady."
With slightly trembling fingers, he removed the mask away from her face. There she stood; the girl he was searching for and the girl who was his precious friend.
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
She took a step forward and took the mask off his face. Her eyes searched for any telltale sign of rejection, but he looked at her with affection. His name was sweet through her lips.
"Adrien Agreste."
There was a flutter in his chest. Dropping her mask, he cupped her face and pressed his forehead on hers. She dropped his and wrapped her arms around his middle. A bubble of laughter grew in his chest and broke out in the open.
Marinette frowned. "You're laughing at me again."
"I'm not." Adrien chuckled. "Trust me, Marinette, I'm not. I just find it funny how we discovered each other's alter egos through each other's alter egos."
Marinette snorted. "That made no sense."
"I know." Adrien laughed. "I'm just – I'm happy. Really, really happy."
He noticed her reluctant expression. "Princess?"
"A-Aren't you disappointed?" She asked. "Ladybug is confident and strong and Marinette is not."
"With or without the mask, you're still Ladybug." Adrien said firmly. "Ladybug is just hidden inside. It resurfaces when you put on the mask, but it's still you."
This time, it was his turn to be nervous. "Me on the other hand…Princess, I know that after finding out that Chat Noir is me, I hope you don't hate me. I know we got off in the wrong foot when we first met but-"
"Wait!" Marinette stared at him, flabbergast. "What?!"
Adrien grew confused. "I thought you hate me. You never seemed to like it whenever you're around the Adrien me and you certainly don't feel that way for Chat Noir-"
"It's because I love you, you silly cat!" Marinette blurted out. Her eyes widened as she slapped her hands on her mouth.
"Y-You what?"
She mumbled, "I didn't love Chat Noir because I was in love with Adrien."
A dark blush exploded on Adrien's face. What an unexpected, cruel, yet fateful turn of events. He could feel Plagg's cackle under his jacket. "I – I – you -"
Marinette looked at the dazed look on his face and a plan formed in her mind. With a grin, she grabbed the side of his face, pulled him down towards her, and pressed her lips on his. Rubbing her tongue on his lips, she slipped inside his mouth and ran her tongue with his. When he grew aware of what just happened, she had already pulled away.
Marinette said slyly, "What? Ladybug got your tongue?"
She was sure from the blush that reached the tip of his ears and down his neck, that she had broken him.
However, later that night, the Chat got her tongue.
Nothing like a reveal fanfic to brighten up my day! Sorry that I'll have to do a little disappearing act until next week guys! Actually, I have my English GED test tomorrow but I decided to procrastinate and give you this. Then again, this is a bit like reviewing, right? :P
ANYWAY, to relieve you from my depressing author's notes, have you heard about the news on Season 2? Yeup! Season 2 will air around February 2017! (It's like a wonderful birthday present! Yay!)
You know what that means? I finally have a finish line for DiD! The Dabble in Drabbles Finale will be posted up two days or a day before the first episode of season 2. So I don't know how many chapters this one-shot series will have, but the Finale is gonna be a blast!
See ya'll after my exams! Thanks for reading!