I'm actually supposed to be working on a project for health due in less than eight hours, buuuut I kinda got dragged in with reading some other fics and I just couldn't help myself.
Feel lucky, I'm actually neglecting homework for this lol.
XxXxXxXxXxX
At first, Marinette didn't know what it was. Her stomach had dropped and it had nothing to do with her looking out of the window at a very high height. Her eyelids were heavier than boulders, her shoulders slumped and her movement became sluggish.
That was until her tired eyes flicked over to a digital clock on the desk, gleaming red numbers blinking at her. 3:23 AM.
Marinette stretched her lips back, a deep sigh escaping her throat. She was so… What was the word. Tired? Sleepy? Exhausted, she thinks, is the best to describe it. Of course she knew well the meaning of fatigue – one couldn't avoid it when war came. But gods didn't need sleep, and all the said fatigue was usually just aching headaches and battle wounds.
Sleep… Yes, sleep sounded nice. She hadn't done it in a century, the last being just out of curiosity, but humans needed to sleep. It was vital to their health and while Marinette was certainly not human, she wasn't quite her goddess self either.
Pushing herself from the window, her lips tugged downward with disappointment as she closed the pane and shut out the dazzling lights of Paris. Stifling another one of those giant sighs, she dragged her body up the short ladder and climbed into bed.
Oh… Oh. This was absolute heaven, she thought hazily as she cocooned the blankets around her and rolled over slightly onto her side. Sure, she's actually been in heaven, but this feeling was simply euphoric. The soft mattress, the cozy blanket… Her eyes felt heavier and heavier with each passing moment, and she could feel her chest move slower and more shallowly.
Sleep…
Sleep…
The bliss that followed only seemed to last a moment, because next thing Marinette knew, a loud beeping was ringing through the air. Battle instincts kicking in, she immediately snapped her eyes open and darted them around frantically to search for the threat despite her body feeling so heavy.
However, her movements were too much upon her mortal body, and she squealed loudly as she managed to squirm around so much that she rolled right off the bed and landed on the floor with a loud thud.
Groaning weakly, Marinette untangled her limbs from the blanket and stumbled over to what was making that absolute horrid sound. The clock she had seen last night was blinking its red numbers, an obnoxious beeping loudly clamoring through the air.
Irritated, Marinette eyed it. How could she stop that infuriating sound? Maybe she could just smash it. Wait – there was an orange button on the top. Pressing it, she sighed in relief as the beeping stopped, giving her some peace.
"Marinette!"
The goddess held back another squeak of surprise as the trapdoor she hadn't noticed until now swung open from the floor. A woman poked her head up, smiling gently at her. "Dear, you're late for school. Come down and eat something, you're lucky it's only your first day."
The woman made a 'go' motion with her hands, showing her one more smile before disappearing the way she came.
Marinette furrowed her brows. She should have known – Duusu must have altered the truth a little in that mortal's eyes. A mother… She had a mother. Marinette wasn't sure if she was happy or not – she was a goddess who had existed since the universe created her. She was a being of extreme power and could probably crush the entire city of Paris if she wished to do so.
Well, she thought. As long as the human didn't stand in her goal's way, then Marinette would just act as the perfect daughter. It shouldn't be too hard, she thought to herself as she walked into the bathroom connected to her room. Being polite and sweet was her usual self, and if she didn't act too suspicious then she should be fine.
Humming lightly to herself, Marinette proceeded to find out what exactly this toothpaste and toothbrush was. When she squirted some gel onto the bristles and stuck it in her mouth, she grimaced at the taste. The mint was so overbearing to the point it was disgusting – ugh. Grimacing, she brushed quickly, running the bristles over her teeth before hastily spitting out the nasty froth.
The flavor thickly coating her tongue and mouth, she rinsed vigorously with water. As a god, the only things she had ever tasted were ambrosia and nectar. They were delicious, of course, so tasting something like this was incredibly displeasing.
Grimacing, Marinette shut off the sink and dabbed the water off of her face before wandering over to a closet. Swinging open the doors, she blinked in astonishment at the sheer number of clothes and boxes that awaited.
Wearily she grasped the yellow sticky note attached to one of the said boxes and read what was written in perfect cursive.
A lady always needs to keep her appearances, goddess or not.
Enjoy, Marinette!
~Duusu and Trixx
She smiled to herself. Duusu and Trixx were always preening in front of a mirror, vain about their appearances. It was to be expected – peacocks and foxes prided themselves on their looks.
As much as Marinette appreciated the gesture, she really didn't think that wearing a ball gown to this 'school' would be appropriate, and so, she lightly brushed her fingertips over a yellow blouse. It glowed, the material changing and shifting until it became something she rather liked.
The shirt was simple and pretty, white with cherry blossoms decorating the bosom. Next she proceeded to do the same to several other items, until eventually she had a light grey jacket and some pink jeans. Slipping them on, she tied her hair back in pigtails, as per usual.
She looked decent, she supposed. They were comfortable and looked good, and with that thought, she opened the trap door and peeked down.
"Good morning," Marinette quietly chimed as she blushed slightly bashfully as she walked into the lower floor. As she said this, she held back a moan of pleasure at the smell that wafted through the air. It was sweet, buttery, and the best thing she's ever had the pleasure of smelling. What on earth was it?
"Good morning," a large man said back, a beaming smile on his face as he knelt down from his towering height and pressed two kisses on each of Marinette's cheeks. She blinked, slowly raising a hand to rub said skin in slight awe. It was more affection she had gotten in one morning than the rest of affection she had received in a millennia.
"Your father baked some croissants," her mother smiled, handing Marinette two flaky treats. "Eat them on the way to school, sweetheart. Remember, it's your first day, so make sure to leave a good first impression!"
"Yes, M… Maman," Marinette squeaked, the word foreign and strange in her mouth.
Waving hesitantly bye to her 'parents', Marinette walked a little dizzily over to the door, opening it and letting the cool breeze inside.
As she walked to school, she remembered something. Marinette lifted one hand, holding two pastries that her mother had pressed into her grasp. Maybe she should eat some of it? It smelled absolutely divine, and she had always been curious of human food…
Marinette slowed her walking to a more lenient pace, and pressed the flaky pastry to her lips. She took a small bite, and nearly collapsed. The skin was so delicate and flaky that it immediately melted into her mouth, the inside wonderfully warm and filled with a light chocolate cream of sort. The butter combined with the sweet in such a perfect way that she couldn't help but take another bite, this time bigger.
Happily she hummed in content, pleased that the first human food she had eaten was as good as she had hoped – even better, actually.
Marinette was crestfallen when she realized that she had soon finished both treats, but squared her shoulders when the school building was only a short distance away.
For a moment she stopped at the short staircase leading to the doors, closing her eyes and sending out a small wave of energy. Nothing responded back. That both worried and relieved her. Relieved because that could mean the demon was currently away, and worried because it could also imply the demon had a cloaking spell. That would make things harder, but Marinette had her own cloaking charm so it wouldn't be able to find her easily.
Pushing the conflicting thoughts away, Marinette swung open the doors and peeked inside.
It was quiet, which surprised her. From the many times she had peered into her bowl of oil, she had seen countless classes filled with loud noise and children screaming about.
Slipping in, she let her goddess instinct lead her, her feet moving on their own as they climbed up some stairs and stopped outside of a green door.
All of a sudden, her nerves spiked. Her legs slightly trembled and her stomach twisted. What would they think of her? What if she was too weird? What is she blew her cover? She had never acted as a human before, what if they immediately found her suspicious?
She blew her bangs out of her eyes impatiently. There was no time for this – she was a goddess, for heaven's sake. She was Ladybug the warrior and Marinette of Luck. She'd watched mortals for centuries, and these group of adolescents couldn't possibly see her as anything less. She shrank into herself a little regardless. Yes, she was a goddess… But they didn't know.
Gulping, Marinette slowly opened the door and peered inside.
The teacher and students lifted their gazes, locking their eyes onto hers. Her face burned.
"Welcome, Madam Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" The teacher beamed, breaking the silence as she waved her in. "I'm Mme. Bustier, please come in."
"Y-Yes, Mme. Bustier," Marinette muttered somewhat shyly. And then – to her absolute mortification – her feet stumbled over each other, and she let out a squeak as her face made contact with the floor. She felt her cheeks go even brighter as she heard several students snicker and chortle. This was absolutely horrible. Marinette was naturally clumsy, but she had been hoping her Ladybug side would save her with her usual grace.
It seemed, for once, her luck ran out.
"Oh my!"
Mme. Bustier gasped, walking over quickly to help the fallen girl. "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay," Marinette muttered, keeping her eyes anywhere but these mortals.
"Well, if you say so," Mme. Bustier smiled hesitantly. "Go sit by Alya in the second row. Madam Césaire?"
An auburn-haired girl lifted her hand, and Marinette bit her lip before nodding and quickly making her way towards her. A blond sitting at the front huffed and pointed her nose away from her, only causing Marinette more shame as she slid into the bench and looked down at the table.
"Hey," the girl next to her whispered as Mme. Bustier continued her lesson. "That seemed like a hard fall. You okay, girl?"
Marinette nearly jumped. She lifted her gaze and locked eyes with this mortal who was giving her a smile. She bit back her own grin and nodded shyly. "Y-Yes. I'm M-Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Inwardly she cursed herself. Ladybug was the one with all the confidence, and unfortunately, none of that courage was seeping into Marinette.
"Alya Césaire," the girl winked back cheekily. "Nice to meet you."
Marinette held back a bashful blush as Alya scooted closer. She wanted to grin so badly – this was the first human, not counting her parents, that had been so close and talked this much to her. It both excited and unnerved her. She had to sometimes hold herself back from saying certain things and remind herself that these people were not gods or deities. They were mortals. She had to be careful.
Learning, as Marinette found out, was quite a bore. Not that the things that were taught weren't interesting, but more so because she already knew these things.
"And in May ninth of 1865, general Robert E. Lee formally surrendered to general Ulysses S. Grant in Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia," Mme. Bustier said as she went through her slides for world history.
Marinette bit her lip to keep back a small giggle. She knew all of this already. Hell, she was there when the war had happened. Eren the war god had carefully kept an eye on both sides, and she had granted luck to both the Union and the Confederate, never favoring either. It was why she and he were so close, she thought. They worked together well.
"Hey, aren't you going to take any notes?" Alya whispered out of the side of her mouth as the lesson droned on. Her own tablet screen was filled with rapid and clumsy notes, due to the fast pace and her writing could only go so quickly.
Marinette glanced down at her tablet. The only things seen were small doodles, and she blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Uh… No," she said sheepishly. "I already know this. It's… It's rather easy."
Alya blinked in astonishment before beaming, both of them turning stoic as the teacher eyed them suspiciously.
"You're so lucky," Alya breathed as she pretended to take down more notes. "I hate history – it's my worst subject."
Marinette giggled lightly, taking care not to make too much sound. Then a thought came to her, and she bit her lip in nerves. If she still had her wings she knew that they would have flapped in nerves. "Do… Um…" She twirled a loose strand of dark hair, flustered. "Do… Do you maybe want me to… t-teach you?"
Alya blinked, staring at her. Marinette could feel her face redden, ready to take back her offer and apologize – only to stop as Alya grinned. "That would be amazing, girl! How about during lunch break? I know this awesome café that's close by. Whaddya say?"
Alya playfully bumped her shoulder against Marinette's, causing the goddess to laugh a little breathlessly in awe. Never had she been so… content? Before, and the fact that a human was so willing to be her friend only made her smile.
She should bless Alya with good luck later, she thought absentmindedly as she timidly agreed with the outgoing girl's words.
XxXxXxXxXxX
He stretched, feeling quite comfortable as he lazily dozed in the very warm and satisfying patch of sunlight. His ears twitched, a purr rumbling in his chest as his green eyes drooped, tail swishing slowly side to side.
Earth certainly had redeeming qualities, he thought blissfully to himself.
"Meow."
Blinking, Chat Noir blearily opened his heavy eyelids and smiled as a little black kitten captured his attention. Clicking his tongue, Chat grinned as the little ball of fur purred loudly and rubbed against his hand, seeking affection.
Laughing lightly, the blond did as told, scratching the kitten lightly behind the ears and under its chin.
"You know what I am, don't you?" Chat Noir said softly, petting the kitten. It mewed, golden eyes wide and pupils dilated.
"I wish I could be like you," Chat continued, the little kitten licking his claws with its rough tongue. "Just a small kitten, no responsibilities, no burdens…"
The kitten blinked, mewing something. He laughed at what it said. "I can't run away, minou. Father has expectations and I really don't think I can run away."
Chat frowned, the action pulling at his lips.
"You're so lucky," Chat muttered, pulling the kitten closer to his chest. It purred, curling into a little ball and lazily licking its paws. "You're free. You're free from a pressuring father, you're free from the burdens I have… I have the worst luck in the world, minou. Things never go my way."
Yawning, the larger cat curled around the kitten, his tongue darting out and giving the kitten's ear a gently lick. His tail swished, drowsiness invading him once more.
His luck really was the worst, he thought to himself in a slight haze. To be banished from his own home… The words his father had yelled, the rules he had set. Chat Noir was one of the most respected and powerful of demons. With claws of black destruction and luck worse than anyone else, he was expected to be the best of the best.
Adrien… Adrien on the other hand. He was only a boy who wanted his father's love, even if said father didn't know what that word meant. Adrien wanted a friend. Adrien wanted to be like mortals. Adrien wanted freedom.
His eyes drooped until they were half-closed. Chat Noir and Adrien were the same, but were they really? Chat Noir was the best. Adrien was lonely. Chat Noir was suave. Adrien was sweet. Chat Noir and Adrien. Adrien and Chat Noir…
Yet both of them were sent to earth with one mission, one mission he knew that if he failed he would face punishment worse than death.
Go to earth. Draw in a deity from the heavens. Kill them.
Simple words. Simple instructions. But the whole situation itself was… chaos. Insane. Inwardly he laughed because he was surrounded by those things everyday before he came to earth, but that didn't mean he liked it or was used to it. Quite the opposite.
He had to kill a god…
He had to.
His father wanted their power and Adrien wanted his father's pride in him.
His eyes gently shut closed, sleep overtaking him as the little kitten cuddling him purred, as if knowing what the demon was thinking and trying to comfort him. In a small way, it worked.
Blood and war was not strange to Chat Noir. His claws had been stained with red liquid hundreds of times, he had shattered the strongest of bones, and destroyed the tallest of walls with one mere touch of his hand. He was born to do it. He was a demon and the son of one of the most powerful ones in the kingdom.
He curled around the kitten a little tighter, trying to seek that comfort again. He was desperate for it.
He had to kill a god…
But he didn't want to.
XxXxXxXxXxX
Yaaay, more on Adrien! I'm sorry for another short chapter, by the way. I promise they'll got longer. I tried really hard not to make Marinette haughty about being a goddess, but I did boost her bragging skills up a notch. You have to remember – gods are prideful and selfish beings. For Marinette, maybe not as much, but she's still a powerful deity.
Also I was struggling cause while demons from hell would be typical, I hesitated. I didn't think that would really fit the story, so I'll come up with something else along the way.
Writing a cuddly Chat Noir was very fun by the way. That is definitely coming out later in the future.
Ah! And you're probably wondering Rose why the hell are they taking so long to meet, but I assure you, dear reader, that it'll get there soon. Patience is a virtue.
And I'm also wondering about the ending. I already have an idea of what to do for it, but not sure if I should go the angsty way or not, cause character angst is my weak point. I probably won't do it but it weirdly appeals to me, lol.
Anyway the next chapter will be out in say a week or so, just hang tight. I gotta extend these chapters to be longer for you guys.
Thank you for reading, leave a review, favorite, and follow!
Until next time, my lovely readers~