"Adrien, no, you are not going to fight an akuma right now!" Tikki cried, phasing into the room to see Adrien throwing off his tuxedo's jacket. "You're on the way to prom!"
"You literally just said evil waits for no one!" Adrien complained, rapping on the bathroom door. "Beetle, hurry up!"
"I'm literally stuck— just go!" Marinette cried from inside the bathroom, frantic voice muffled by the thick wood. "This stupid dress—"
"You look gorgeous!" Adrien assured her, rushing for the circular window and flinging it open, pulling off his dress shoes. "Plagg, claws out! Mari, call Nino and Alya!"
"Got it!" His partner flung the door open, phone in hand and transformed, black lace jacket in her other hand. "Mom, Dad, love you!" She yelled, and not waiting for a reply, shoved Chat Noir out the window. "Let's go!"
"If we hurry, we might not be late!" Chat called, rolling to the ground and vaulting up to the closest roof. His lady joined him immediately, swinging down to land in a sprint. Away they pounded, suit on slate making a heavy ting sound, towards the smoke rising on the other side of the city. Of course it has to be the farthest possible from the dance. Adrien groaned.
"Yeah, well, you're with me!" Ladybug cried back, flipping over a chimney. Chat Noir noticed her hair was only half-done, bottom braid flying loose in the wind. She tied it up in a bun. She looks so weird! Adrien laughed to himself. One big bun, atop her head, and another little one underneath. Like a little baby. "You're going to be late! That was never an option!"
"We'll make a fashionable entrance!" Chat Noir vaulted across to the next rooftop, using his baton as a helicopter blade for a moment to extend his jump. "Just like always!"
"Carapace and Rena are on their way!" Ladybug called. "They're gonna yell at you, ya know!"
Chat Noir pulled her back by the yo-yo string, placing a finger to her lips. "It might be a sound-based akuma again."
"Always the artists." Ladybug groaned. "Me included. You see the object?"
"It's his microphone." Chat Noir decided, pointing one clawed finger towards the purple and gold monster. (He was holding a billboard, for some reason.) "Normal plan?!"
"Yep!" They leapt into action in sync, Ladybug going high and Chat Noir going low.
Chat Noir raked his claws down the monster's thick legs, drawing its attention. "Is it really that weird to promise Chloe a dance?!"
"Yes!" Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around its head, but was dislodged. She landed next to him, cuffing him on the head before leaping away. "It's definitely weird!"
"I promised!" Chat Noir protested, leaping up after her and dodging the monster's swinging arm. He squeezed himself between the billboard and the creature's chest, pushing his body outward until the billboard popped away and clattered uselessly to the ground far below. Ladybug caught him, and they swung up to the creature's shoulder. "She's been my friend for years, bug, and she's lonely!"
"Are you guys still arguing about that?" came a new voice. Carapace leapt down and cast a Shelter around the monster's goo-covered billboard just as the akuma was about to reach it, then stepped back so Rena Rouge could cast a Mirage of Chat Noir.
"Just tell her you can't do it!" Alya insisted. Chat Noir rolled his eyes, sneaking behind the monster as it chased his fake self. "It's one. Dance."
"I'm siding with Chat on this one!" Carapace called, dodging the monster's feet. "It's not that weird!"
"You want a dance, too, Carapace?" Ladybug called, throwing her yo-yo to Rena. They strung it across the monster's path, and as it fell, Carapace stole his microphone and tossed it to Chat Noir.
"Wanna dance, bro?" Chat Noir caught the microphone and cataclysmed it. "I can save one for you!"
"You'd better!" Carapace laughed. Ladybug purified the akuma, and off they went, flying over the rooftops towards the hotel.
Chat Noir vaulted over a smokestack. "Time check?"
"Five minutes late!" Carapace called. Ladybug cursed.
"We have to go in separately!" She yelled. "I don't wanna see Chat to see my dress yet, and we don't wanna look suspicious!"
"Ah, yeah, that's the order that should be in!" Carapace held up his shield and Rena rolled over it, grabbing his hand and hoisting him over the fan. Ladybug shrugged, leaping across a gap and slinging herself onto a lamppost. "Almost there!"
"See you guys in a couple!" Chat Noir called, and then he was in through the window of the bathroom, flipping into a stall and detransforming.
The silence was deafening. Adrien flushed the toilet and stepped out of the bathroom, trying to calm his racing heart. Plagg looked around. "Do I get cheese?"
"If you go— oh, god, Plagg."
"What now, kid?"
Adrien rounded on him with wide eyes. "I forgot my jacket. And deodorant."
His phone dinged.
6:36 PM
Bug : Hey, u got deodorant?
Adrien let out a little breathless laugh. His nerves were quickly piling up. "Plagg, you can have all the cheese you want in Marinette's minifridge if you get me my jacket and deodorant. I swear I will love you forever."
Plagg rolled his eyes. "Love is overrated, but I'll do it for the cheese."
Adrien let out a breath. "Thank you so much."
Plagg flitted away, and left Adrien alone to wait. A moment later Nino slipped into the bathroom, dressed in a dark green faux velvet suit and cream dress shirt. (And his cap. Of course.) The gold buttons on his cuffs and the hem of his pants popped nicely, and Adrien found himself second-guessing his own choice of clothing. He was in a deep red dress shirt and matching tie, with black buttons like spots edging his shoulders and chest. Black pants completed the look. He adjusted his tie, pulling at his collar. Sweat beaded his forehead. Is it really this hot in here, or am I just freaking out?
"You look fine, dude." Nino assured him, clapping him on the shoulders. "You and Mari will match perfectly, I promise."
Adrien stared at him.
"Alya said that, not me."
"Oh." Adrien nodded, turning back to the mirror and giving one last attempt at brushing down that annoying cowlick he always had. "Then I guess I have to believe it."
"Yep, you don't get a choice." Nino jumped out of the way as Plagg zipped in through the window, trailing a black jacket and a three-pack of Axe. Adrien put on the jacket and the deodorant, snapping the jacket into place with an audible noise and checking the red embroidered edges on it one more time. "Are you sure—"
"You look stunning, dude." Nino assured him, chopping at his back. "Marinette's gonna lose her mind."
"Is it too much?" Adrien whipped around, eyes wide in terror. "What if—"
"Adrien."
"What?"
"Relax."
"But—"
"Adrien?"
"Ye-ah?"
The silence stretched, and they both dissolved into laughter. "The heck kind of— voice crack was that?!" Nino gasped, doubling over.
Adrien gave him a glare, but it was pretty much undone by the laughter spilling from him. "This was you last year, Nino, shut up!"
"Let me enjoy this!" Nino begged, then turned to Plagg. "Cat dad? Any words of encouragement for the kitten?"
Adrien made a face, and so did Plagg. Nino laughed again at how similar they were. "Don't screw it up and don't freak out." Plagg muttered, floating over and licking down Adrien's cowlick. To Adrien's delight, it actually stayed down.
"Words of wisdom." Adrien replied in a wry voice, but he was grinning from ear to ear. Tikki darted in, and Adrien wordlessly handed her the now two-pack of deodorant. Then he turned back to Nino. "We got this?"
"We got this." Nino replied, and out they walked.
(Plagg snuck pictures of Adrien's lovestruck face seeing Marinette's Ladybug dress for the first time. And then kissing.)
(And he was incredibly proud, even if he would never admit it.)
A/N: Last one coming right up! I love Plagg so much I swear-- also I love the OT4 being chaotic superheroes together. It's amazing. I love them. Found family. Anyways. Last chapter coming right up. Sorry in advance.
tumblr: tout d'un coup
