Nino placed his hands on Adrien's shoulders, prompting his friend with a smile on his face. "Now's your chance dude, Marin's always sketching in his notebook. Go and ask if you can look at his designs.

" Why?"

" He's a designer, you're a model." Nino gestured towards his friend who smiled at his best friend's antics. "not to mention the son of the raddest designer in Paris?"

Adrien laughed at his friend's joke. " I guess you could say us being friends was, tailor-made?"

Nino just stared at his friend for a few moments as Adrien laughed at his own joke. His smile undeterred at his friends' reaction "You suck that was funny."

"I know, now go!" Nino said pushing Adrien towards where Marin was sitting, watching from behind the stairs in excitement as his two buddies were going to be friends all because of him.

" What are you smiling about?" He turned to see Alya standing nearby.

" Well, if you have to know. I found common ground for Adrien and Marin to bond over, design."

Alya nodded, " So what's he doing now!"

" Oh, I recommended that Adrien ask to look at Marin's designs for the upcoming contest." He said proudly as Alya slammed her hand on her forehead. "What?" Nino asked.

Alya glared at him for a moment before pressing her palms together, glaring at him in annoyance. " Nino, you've known Marin longer than I have, has he ever shown his designs to anyone?"

"Well, no… but there's a first time for everything."

" Let me rephrase this, would you ask Nathaniel to look through his sketchbook?"

Nino laughed at the mere thought, "Ha, no way. Nath is so insecure about his drawings. If anyone asked him about them then he'd get really defensive and run away- ohhhhh."

Alya nodded, " yeah."

Nino grasped his hat in a panic the two watched the scene unfold as Marin almost immediately grew flustered, Adrien trying to backtrack something he said, and Marin running into a wall as he immediately tried to run away. Adrien turned back to Nino with a defeated expression but his friend retained an aura of positivity. He flashed his friend a large toothy grin giving him two thumbs up as Alya rolled her eyes in exasperation slapping her forehead.

Marin sighed heavily as he sat on top of a staircase.

"Of course the contest asks for the one hat that is the most difficult to design for…" Marin muttered sitting in at Trocadéro with his sketchbook and Tikki in his bag eating oatmeal cookies happily.

"What's so hard about designing a hat?" Tikki questioned.

" A bowler hat should be elegant and stylish. It should help frame the wearer but not attract too much attention that it diverts attention from the outfit. While at the same time, not be so outlandish that all the focus is on it. It should be…simple, but eye-catching."

He ripped out another page where he envisioned the Eiffel Tower on it. "Too obvious."

Marin sighed heavily as he scribbled out his most recent drawing, slamming his head into his book. "it's hard to be creative under pressure."

"Marin, you save the world under pressure, just take a break!" Tikki recommended as Marin sighed once more.

"You're right, maybe I'll find inspiration somewhere else." Looking up they saw a man walking like a bird sits down on a bench ahead. He took out a brown paper bag, and a bird call, blowing on it. A flock of pigeons landed before the man, one landing near Marin who looked up at him. He recognized the small bird as it had flown by his house more than once, Marin smiled as it then flew on his wrist, on top of the ladybug pattern tie that he always kept tied on.

"Well, happy day, happy day! Splendid is the afternoon day!" As the man spotted Marin walking towards him his eyes lit up. The pigeon on Marin's wrist flew towards the man, performing a few tricks for what seemed to be a corn kennel. " Ah, Edgar, you fancy one. Fantastic, dazzling performance."

"Good evening Professor Ramier." He greeted walking around the pigeons eating."

"Marin, good to see you! Have you come to visit my friends as well?" He asked with a smile on his face.

"Not today, I'm trying to find some inspiration."

" Look no further than my little friends! Pigeons have a foundation of important history."

"Oh yeah?"

"Of course they do. They can be trained to relay messages long distances. little Edgar here is descended from the birds that were honored for their service in The Great War." He fed the small bird a piece of corn as Marin giggled at the eagerness of the small bird." As a few birds flew away, a few of the feathers caught his attention. He walked over to a few of the fallen, a few birds jumping away as he picked up the feathers.

Marin glanced at them for a few moments before his eyes widened, "I've got it!" He suddenly yelled, a few birds scattering as the rest turned towards him curiously. His face suddenly ran red in embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry birdies." He apologized but Xavier brushed him off.

"Don't worry about them," Xavier reassured as Marin rubbed the back of his head. "They'll always go where there's food." He said opening a bag of popcorn and feeding his birds.

Marin placed the feathers in his bag taking a few more. "I have to do more sketching, have a nice rest of the day Professor, thanks for the idea!" He said leaving the area around the corner.

"What a unique character! He was like, a human bird. All he needed was a feather jacket to complete the look." Tikki commented, poking her head out from under the feathers.

Marin laughed just before he ran into a police officer, who looked down at him. "Uh, sorry mister officer, sir!" He quickly apologized as he ran towards the bus stop. Not seeing the police officer narrowing his eyes at Mr. Raimer angrily.

Adrien turned on the tv as Plagg flew out from his bag making a break for his cheese, indulging himself happily. Just as he was about to start his homework a breaking new alert caught his attention.

"Pigeons have taken over Paris! This is just one of the many alarming situations giving authorities cause for major concern-" The reporter, Najia looked as though she was receiving more news as Adrien walked towards the tv in concern. " Yes, I've just been told that someone named "Mr. Pigeon" is making an announcement."

On the screen appeared a man who was clearly Akumatized, that or he was just dressed like a giant pigeon. " Oh, dreary day, poor Parisians. Sorry to ruffle your feathers, but Paris now belongs to the pigeons! Flap flap!" He laughed like a maniac, ordering his pigeons to swarm people.

Adrien recognized the area the cameraman shot from, seeing that it was near his house as a policeman was kidnapped from a crowd of people running for their lives

"Plagg!" Adrien turned towards his Kwami eating his cheese happily. He turned towards his partner when called on, the panic settling in his eye as he saw that familiar determined smile on his face.

"Wait a sec- don't you wanna wait for Ladybug?! He's the plan guy, and you're allergic to feathers, and please let me finish my cheeseeee!" Plagg begged, but Adrien shook his head.

"I can take on a few birds," Adrien remarked as Plagg glanced at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, but Ladybug thinks things through," Plagg muttered dryly as Adrien growl in annoyance. "Without him, you're pretty much just the damsel waiting to be saved."

"That's a little rude Plagg." Adrien remarked, even though there was a hint of truth to what his Kwami was saying.

"So is cutting into my cheese time! What else do I have to lose?!

"Plagg! Claws out!" He said as Plagg tried to finish off his snack, but to no avail, as Adrien transformed.

Chat Noir jumped out of his home to Place des Vosges, looking around for a moment he spotted a blue hat fallen on the ground. He picked it up as a mischievous smile came over him.

…

…..

Cat Noir stood at the park, impersonating a park ranger by simply wearing the hat, waiting for the pigeons to take him to their leader. Yet almost immediately his mind began to wander beginning to whistle "La Marseillaise" wondering if he should try to attract more attention somehow…

Ladybug ran through the rooftops, already transformed as the pigeons had swarmed across the city, 3 guesses who was Akumatized this week. He evaded the swarms of pigeons towards their targets, trying to find their leader when he spotted a familiar face dancing in the park. For a moment he stared at confusion at his partner wearing a police hat dancing in the park as pigeon swarm descended. From the rooftops, he remained covered so is bright uniform couldn't be picked up on. Watching as a large group of pigeons started to fly overhead. The falling feathers appeared to make Chat Noir sneeze as they descended upon him, not giving him enough time to react.

"Uh oh." Ladybug followed as they carried his partner away, being wary of his surroundings.

…

He was guided towards the roof of the Grand Paris hotel, watching as the swarm dropped Cat Noir unable to react in time as a cage was dropped on him.

Through his sneezing he yelled out, "Where's that bird-brain Mr. Pigeon?!"

Ladybug narrowed his eyes, holding onto his yo-yo as he watched Mr. Pigeon being lifted by a swarm of pigeons before Chat Noir.

Instinctively, he threw up his yo-yo "Lucky Charm!" and from it fell a coin purse with ladybug print; Opening it, he found a few dollar coins. Looking around, he found what he was looking for.

Mr. Pigeon smiled victoriously as the sneezing trapped cat. "Your Miraculous, give them to me or face the wrath of my feathered friends." He blew his whistle again, and the pigeons atop the cage began banging on the top of the cage, while others turn around and point their behinds.

"Dada-dee!" cooed, "On the count of three, my beloved pigeons will commence fire. You can still save your sorry skins by handing me your Miraculous. One, two…huh?" He noticed the birds diverting their attention elsewhere, no longer responsive towards his bird calls. As a few left, it triggered a domino effect of more birds leaving only one who was sitting atop the cage.

"My little friends-" called out, so distracted that he never saw Ladybug quickly capturing him, tying him up with his yo-yo handing on the roof. He struggled but was unable to prevent Ladybug from breaking his birdcall under his foot, the Akuma flying away.

"No more mischief for you, little to purify!" He said as he swung his yo-yo towards the possessed Akuma, capturing it in one motion. Then opening it once more, watching the newly purified Akuma fly away. "Bye-bye, little butterfly."

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

Chat Noir, through his tears and runny nose, was distracted for a few moments as suddenly all the pigeons dispersed and was reverted back to a normal person. He saw Ladybug hand back the man back his birdcall who graciously thanked the Hero through the cage, shaking his hand as he quickly left.

Ladybug glanced at him, immediately making himself feel insecure as he averted his gaze. It wasn't uncommon for Ladybug to call him out on his reckless nature. Fully prepared for what came next he stood up straight, as though he was resigned to his fate as his partner approached.

"So, looks like you didn't need my help today." He said dryly, feeling a little guilty. But was surprised as Ladybug held out his fist through the bars, waiting. A smile broke out on Chat Noir's face through his guilt as he couldn't help himself.

"Pound it."

Chat Noir glanced at the hand that had touched Ladybug's keeping his head down before Ladybug spoke up again.

"Nice plan." He complimented, grabbing Chat Noir's attention immediately as he glanced at his partner in disbelief. "But you shouldn't underestimate the enemy." He critiqued, as a pigeon landed on his shoulder nuzzling him his cheek cutely. "Right Edgar?"

Sure, just be adorable right in front of him, not like he had a complex about this the entire day. Wait, Ladybug wasn't adorable, he was strong and brave and stern, and handso-

Immediately Chat Noir snapped himself out of his thoughts, his face reddening as he saw Ladybug take out his yo-yo.

"Couldn't do it without you, partner." Ladybug remarked sincerely, as "Edgar", flew off, turning his back towards him.

"Hey wait! What about me?!"

"There are some things only you can do Chat!" Ladybug reminded as he jumped off the roof, using the momentum to swing across the city.

Chat Noir processed what he said for a moment then realized. "Oh, right." He destroyed the cage using his power then quickly, realized he had to be back at the school in an hour.

Nathalie held out her hand in greeting. "Hello, Mr. Damocles, I am Mr. Agreste's executive assistant Nathalie."

Mr. Damocles shook her hand. "Hello, miss. Pardon me, but where is Mr. Agreste?" He asked looking around as Natalie held up a tablet. On it was his father from his office.

"I'm here." He remarked.

Mr. Damocles looked a little put off by his father not being there in person. "Ah, uh, hello Mr. Agreste. Welcome to our school."

"Adrien, take Nathalie around." His father ordered as he simply compiled taking notice of Alya looking worried as she didn't have a hat at her stand. One by one they went through the entries, all were well made until they finally stopped at Chloé who looked excited.

"Hello, Mr. Agreste. I'm Chloé Bourgeois. You know my father, André Bourgeois, the mayor?" She introduced but was ignored as his father scanned her work.

"Interesting technique used ." He commented, as soon as he passed Chloé practically exploded with happiness, receiving praise from a top designer.

Adrien couldn't help but grow curious, he'd never know Chloé to be interesting in the production aspect of fashion, perhaps she had taken a recent interest as of late.

"As you'll see, Mr. Agreste, our students have poured their hearts and souls into their projects." His principal remarked ready to finish the contest, but as he spoke someone ran past them. As Alya sighed in relief before harshly whispered something. Adrien looked past the principal to see Marin apologizing, rubbing the back of his neck. He placed something on the stand.

"I suppose if there are no other entries, then the winner is-"

"Uh, father." Adrien spoke up as all eyes were on him, "There's one more person." He gestures toward Marin who had his sleeves rolled down, now wearing his ladybug print tie. His hair was pushed pack as he looked far more presentable than he usually did. Marin looked unnaturally calm as Adrien's father scanned the hat.

"Hm, turn the tablet back to Ms. Bourgeois' hat." Gabriel requested as Natalie then turned the table back to Chloé 's hat. Both were completely identical. "Is this a joke?"

"No fair! Marin copied my design! How could you?!" She immediately began to cry as Sabrina glared at Marin.

At first, Adrien was worried for his classmate, knowing how he usually acted around Chloé , but surprised as Marin retained his composure. He cleared his throat, drawing all eyes on him.

"I apologize for the situation Mr. Agreste, but I can assure you, this hat is my original design."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. " Go ahead."

Marin picked up his hat, Adrien noticed that his hands were covered in bandaids. "Everything on my derby hat is hand-crafted even down to the smallest thread- from the embroidery to the weaving of the band, to the stitching of the brim. While I won't bore you with the more finer aspects. There's a special design element that only the true designer knows about: the signature."

A crash from behind caused them all to turn around as Chloé knocked over her hat stand, seeing the same signature etched in her hat. Chloé runs out crying.

"Very exquisite creation. You definitely have the laboring hands of a hat maker, mister...

Adrien stood next to his classmate, "Dupain-Cheung."

"Congratulations on your demonstration, Mister Dupain-Cheung. You're the winner. Adrien will wear your derby on our next advertising campaign."

Marin bowed his head respectfully, "Thank you, sir." Keeping it lowered until the camera turned off and Natalie walked away.

"Adrien, I will be waiting in the car. Please be brief." She remarked, knowing that he'd want to say goodbye to his classmates. He nodded, turning towards Marin and Alya, seeing her hug her best friend tightly.

"I knew you could do it!"

"Congratulations Marin. Your hat was amazingly designed." He complimented, seeing Marin turned his head in embarrassment, his face reddened. "Could I try it on?" He asked.

Marin nodded, handing him the hat, their hands touched for a moment.

"A-achoo!" Adrien suddenly sneezing, recoiling in embarrassment as he realized he had sneezed on his classmate and his hat. "Uh- sorry, I'm allergic to feathers." He sneezed again as Marin quickly put the hat back in the box. Taking out something from his back pocket.

"Ah, Bless you," Marin said as he quickly handed over a white handkerchief. "This is my fault, I put authentic pigeon feathers on the hat!"

Adrien nodded his thanks, accepting his classmate's handkerchief as he sneezed a few more times walking away as to not spread any more germs. "Don't worry about it," He sneezed again. "I'll have to try it later then."

Marin's heart couldn't help but soften as he heard those words. He only nodded as Adrien walked away quickly. "Later then." He whispered under his breath, holding his hat close to his heart.

Notes:

- Feels like a shorter chapter

- Nino's doing his best.