Chapter One
"Tikki, spots off." Marinette's lips pulled back in a wince as her transformation dropped and she turned her wrist to look at her watch. "I'm so damn late!"
"I can eat in your handbag." Tikki said with a supportive smile as she dove into her usual hidey hole.
"Okay," Marinette confirmed with a quick nod as she took in her location: side street, at least three blocks from her original destination thanks to the latest akuma. Adjusting the strap of her bag diagonally across her chest, the young woman dashed out of the narrow alleyway and into the more populated avenue.
"Café Bliss, Café Bliss," she repeated to herself as her gaze darted across the shopfronts, searching for the sign that matched her chant.
Eventually her eyes snagged on the flamboyant sign and she eased her pace as she tried to slow down her breathing. At one of the outside tables sat her date, sipping the last of his coffee as he looked down at his phone.
Pulling out the seat opposite, Marinette plopped down and immediately apologised. "I'm so sorry I'm late. There was an akuma."
"Mm hmm," Jye hummed while giving her a bored look. "This is the third time you've basically stood me up."
"I know," Marinette replied as her brow furrowed with frustration. "I'm really disappointed this happened again."
"Don't sweat it. I think it's pretty obvious that the universe is giving us a hint that dating isn't going to work between us."
With a disappointed sigh, Marinette nodded. "I guess so."
Jye stood up, paid for his coffee then came back and gave Marinette a hug. "All the best. I'll let Alya know at work that her matching making skills aren't what she promised."
Marinette shook her head with a bittersweet smile. "Nope, she struck out again."
"See you around," he said with a wave of goodbye.
The young woman's shoulders sagged as soon as his back was turned. "I'm going to die alone," she muttered to herself.
"Unlikely," the faint but distinctive voice of Tikki replied from within the handbag.
As Marinette turned to plod home, her phone began to vibrate. Snagging it from her bag, the corner of her mouth upturned as she saw who was calling. "Hello, Alya."
"There was another akuma."
"You noticed that too." Marinette added with a shake of her head.
"Yeah." Alya replied, dragging out the word then inhaling through her clenched teeth. "Bad timing. Like majorly bad timing."
"Jye called it quits."
"Crap. I really thought you two would hit it off."
"We might have if we'd actually had the opportunity to have a single uninterrupted date."
"You can't help that, girl."
"Nope. Hawkmoth, or whatever he's calling himself this week, is a royal pain in the ass."
"Amen to that sister. I really thought that after 9 years we would have nailed that psycho."
Marinette lifted her hand to massage her forehead. "We've come close a few times. I've also stuffed things up a number of times too."
"You got your miraculous when you were what, 13? Honestly, Fu had to be senile to give two teenagers superpowers against an adult supervillain. And then to dump you with the duties of guardian and have his memory wiped, argh what a jerk."
"Looking back, it was kind of irresponsible but I wouldn't be the person I am today if he hadn't." Marinette shrugged then added, "Although I might have actually had the ability to hold down a job and not panic about having enough in my bank account to pay the rent and actually eat."
A sly note entered Alya's voice. "Reach out to Adrien and ask if he'll be your new roommate."
The dark-haired woman snorted, "You're just trying to feel less guilty about moving out."
"I've practically been living at Nino's place anyway. Plus, I figure I've got more opportunity to point out the merits of proposing to a keeper such as myself."
Marinette chuckled, "I suspect he's all too aware of your dastardly plot."
"More than likely, but I'm still going to do it."
"Of course you are."
Coming upon the front door to her building, Marinette reached into her bag fishing for her keys. "Will things be weird at work with Jye now?"
"Nah, he's pretty chill. Besides, as I said you've got the opportunity to give Adrien a call."
Marinette groaned in annoyance. "If I ring Adrien he will want to come over. Then he'll see the stark reality of my current finances and try to pay for everything."
"And that's bad how?"
"Alya, as if you'd let anyone pay for you without promising to pay them back."
"So, promise to pay him back. Adrien's not going to miss a couple of hundred euros. Especially if he gets to see you."
"You're insinuating things that don't exist." Marinette snapped as she climbed the stairs up to her floor.
"Adrien has a soft spot for you, always has. I reckon he'd like to be more than your friend if you gave him the opportunity."
Passing a neighbour, Marinette gave a nod of greeting then continued her conversation with Alya. "I can't even seem to date a stranger, let alone a friend. I told you ages ago, relationships don't work when you have certain other responsibilities."
"Then date Chat Noir, we know he's always wanted a kissy-kissy relationship with you." Alya added a couple of smooching sounds for further emphasis.
"Please don't go there." Marinette replied as she stopped outside her door and closed her eyes for a moment to gather patience.
"Why? He's the obvious solution to your problems. Heck, he'd be the perfect roommate because he knows your secret too."
Unlocking her door, Marinette slipped into her tiny two-bedroom apartment and closed the door behind her. The moment they were inside Tikki flew out of her handbag and floated to the single large living room window to peer outside.
"There's one flaw in your logic," the heroine added, "Chat Noir doesn't know who Ladybug is."
"So, tell him."
Marinette almost choked. "Are you kidding? How many occasions has there been when time travel has come into the equation, basically declaring everything will go to hell in a handbasket if Chat and I get together?"
"Once or twice." Alya said without an ounce of concern.
"It's been more than that, apparently. Bunnix said as much."
"Bunnix says a lot of random crap because time is like a river, always moving, changing course. Yadda, yadda, blah. At some point you need to live your life for you, not for all of Paris."
Marinette sat down on her futon and flopped onto her back. Staring at the ceiling she let out a heavy breath. "So, you're suggesting I should throw caution to the wind and see what happens?"
"Kind of." Alya paused as she considered her words. "Go on a single date with Chat, then there's no need to reveal your identities. If you get called out to an akuma he's not going to care because he'll still be with you when you rush off. Let him know you're just testing the water and that you're not committing to anything more."
"This is Chat we're talking about. He'll either think I'm joking or that a date means we're finally destined to be together."
"Chat Noir has matured a lot since the early days. We know he's dated on and off, though it sounds like he's had as much luck as you when attempting anything remotely serious."
"While that's true, I'm still not certain that this is a good idea."
"Come one. You admitted just the other day how hot Chat Noir is looking these days."
"Alya, I was drunk and spouted a lot of nonsense."
"Meh, alcohol is like truth serum for you."
"I reject your reality and substitute my own, and on that bomb shell I need to go and find something to prepare for dinner."
Alya chuckled. "Fine, you go do that. I'll talk to you later."
"Sure thing."
Marinette ended the call, shifted off the futon and strode to the kitchenette. When she opened the fridge and took in the bare state of its innards she glanced over to Tikki. "Maybe I should call Adrien."
It's been a very long time since I've posted anything, so I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. I'm not up to date with the latest season of Miraculous, so have gone for the "aged up creative licence" angle.
Thanks for reading and if you'd like to give the review box some love before you go that would be fantastic! Until next time :)
