A/N: Apologies for the delay. Apparently, I don't like writing school stories. So, let's get on with the superhero bit and the summer break! (Now that it's winter….IRL)

Chapter Eight: End of Spring Term

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A constant drizzle fell upon the city of Paris as the Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Viperion patrolled during the night. Sitting three in a row halfway up the Eiffel Tower, Viperion played his lyre while Chat Noir twirled his condensed staff and Ladybug rocked her feet back and forth in rhythm to the melody.

When Ladybug had sent Chat Noir a message earlier in the evening that Viperior would be joining them on patrol he took the news rather well. He hadn't complained at all that his alone-time with Ladybug would be interrupted. He'd actually seemed quite eager to work with the Snake Miraculous User again.

"It's strange that it's been so quiet lately," Chat commented. "Hawk Moth hasn't been very active. You don't think he gave up?"

"Maybe the Akuma App has proved enough of a deterrent," Ladybug suggested. She reached over and flicked the bell at Chat's collar playfully. "Everyone is trying hard to keep their emotions on the positive side. He could just be plotting something truly devious and complicated."

"The charms you've been passing out to the victims have been playing a role," Chat pointed out. "Still, I wonder if all these quiet nights are to try and catch us off guard. Like you said, maybe he's plotting something truly devious." He stood and tapped the base of his staff on the support beam, laid his laced hands over it and propped his chin on the end as his emerald eyes scanned the horizon. "I hate the rain," he grumbled.

"I don't like it much either whenever I'm working with Plagg," Ladybug admitted. "I'm considering entrusting the different Miraculous to their former welders." Ladybug peered over at her two partners. Viperion met her gaze with a look of pure tranquility as he continued to strum his instrument. He wasn't surprised by the announcement, he'd already known. She took a moment to let herself appreciate Luka's body in the form-fitting bodysuit of his superhero uniform. It gave her a few ideas for stage costumes for his band. It also gave her other ideas, and when he caught her still staring at him and smiled slyly, sh quickly turned away with a fierce blush.

Chat glanced over, hopefully not noticing her blush, from where he leaned heavily on his extended bo-staff, his golden eyebrows furrowed in thought. "It's not a bad idea. We could take shifts," Chat said "They could contain the problem and then we could show up to resolve it, if for some reason we weren't necessarily right there or if we were detained."

"Exactly, they could buy us time, in case we ever have to leave the vicinity of Paris," Ladybug reasoned. "And, it's just not smart to have all the Miraculous locked up in the same place. It's better to spread our resources out. I was thinking Rena Rouge and Carapace."

"Not leave all our eggs in one basket. I can agree to those two. You've recruited them the most of everyone else," Chat agreed, nodding. "Are you thinking of leaving Paris?" Chat asked, a little too casually.

"It might be nice to travel occasionally," Ladybug answered, equally casually. "With the modifications we can apply to our kwami's powers, it doesn't take long to travel to different places on the globe."

"And say, one of us had to move away from Paris, we could still be the defenders of our home," Chat reasoned. He straightened and twirled his staff once more before condensing it down to its smaller form. "That's perfect! Because, I mean, we will need to go to university at some point. We should start planning."

Ladybug groaned, the chilly rain made her bones ache, and stretched behind her. "I really hope we're not still facing the same supervillain at that time."

"Don't worry! I'm sure we'll have a new one by then!" Chat teased with a chuckle.

"From what I have understood about the Miraculous," Viperion interjected, his voice calm and thoughtful. "This is a lifelong commitment. There are other teams in other places, but I would think our territory might end up spreading throughout Europe at some point."

"We'll just have to make sure we have an agreement with whatever the local government is," Ladybug reasoned. "Otherwise, we'll be labeled as vigilantes instead of heroes."

"So, would you two like to go visit Andre? Get some ice cream?" Chat suggested. He pointed his now extended staff into the distance. His tail twitched in anticipation.

"It's late. He shouldn't be on the streets anymore," Ladybug pointed out. She sat up and followed the direction of Chat's staff. Sure enough, the app on her phone lit up and an Akumatized Andre now roamed the streets. "I wonder if he was having a nightmare when he got akumatized."

"Likely," Chat agreed, as they started towards the area of commotion, Viperion flanking them, keeping up with their speed easily.

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The final bell signaled the end of the school day and of the school year. The students scattered as soon as class was dismissed. Some went immediately on their way and others lingered, not quite ready for the chapter of their academic career at Collège Françoise Dupont to be closed.

It was probably a stupid idea, but Adrien forced himself to approach his long-time friend, whom he wasn't sure he even liked these days. Sensing his approach, Chloe immediately stashed away her bejeweled phone and clasped her hands together in front of her chest and batted her darkly mascara lashes at him while also stepping in front of her sycophant Sabrina.

"Oh! Adrikins!" Chloe cooed, in what she must have assumed was cute.

Inwardly, Adrien cringed. He looked past Chloe briefly, gaze shifting to the distance on his left and saw Marinette and Luka giving him the thumb's up as the settled on the older boy's motorbike. Hopefully, Chloe didn't notice the waver in his attention. "Hey, Chloe. I was wondering if you'd like to get something to eat now. To celebrate the end of the school term."

"Like a date?" Chloe asked, leaning towards him, a gleam in her eyes.

"More of a celebratory snack," Adrien answered. "But it's my treat, so I guess you could say a date."

"Of course! Oh, Adrikins! I'm so excited!" Chloe looped her arm through Adrien's and leaned against him. "Where are we going?"

"A frozen yogurt shop, it's not too far from campus. We can walk." Adrien tried to ignore the discomfort he felt at Chloe being so close to him. He did catch the angry scowl that Layla sent their way and was glad that it wasn't addressed towards Marinette for once. Though, he didn't even like Chloe being on the receiving end of such a menace's attention. At least in London, the pathological liar wouldn't be his problem anymore. "How are things at home?"

"Oh, the same as usual," Chloe answered breezily.

"Your mom and sister are still in New York?" Adrien asked. "Won't your dad be lonely with you going to London?" He heard the sound of Luka's motorbike and saw Luka and Marinette pass them on the street and park around the back of the yogurt shop in the distance.

"Not really. He's taking a leave of absence from the mayor's office, leaving his deputy in charge while he plans to visit New York this summer. He said he wasn't happy with all the stress of dealing with me being publicly known at Queen Bee," Chloe answered haughtily. She sniffed. "It's part of the reason he's sending me to London." She waved her hand dismissively. "He doesn't want me so involved in the superhero business."

Adrien didn't point out that she was more involved in the supervillain business. If she was out of Paris, that might reduce the number of Akuma attacks since she was usually the instigator of so much negative energy amongst their peers. Though, she wasn't responsible for all of them, as evidence by Andre the ice cream peddler. "It will be a good opportunity to see who you are, outside of Paris."

"Is that what you're planning to do?" Chloe asked.

"Paris makes me think of Mom. It might be good if I have a change of scenery. And Felix goes to the boarding school. We look so much alike, you'd think we were brothers instead of cousins." Adrien pointed out the yogurt shop down the block. "It's just over there."

Chloe squealed and squeezed Adrien's arm tighter. He grimaced, but forced his smile to remain in place.

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"Are you sure about this?" Marinette asked worriedly glancing over her shoulder at the shop's door. She could see Adrien and Chloe walking closer down the sidewalk, arm-in-arm. Seeing Adrien with another girl no longer bothered her, she truly had accepted their friendship. However, seeing the forced smile on his face, did make her heart sad.

Luka had led her into a corner booth in the back of the frozen yogurt shop, their backs to the door, making it hard to notice them from the entrance, especially with both of them wearing beanies over their hair. They'd each gotten a cup of frozen yogurt and sprinkled an assortment of fruits and candies on it. She had more candies and he had more fruits. Luka didn't have too much of a sweet tooth compared to Marinette. He teased that the only thing sweet he needed in his life was her.

Marinette's heart melted into a pile of goo. Luka was a better song-writer than his dad, and that was saying something.

"School is out for the summer. In a couple of months, you and I will be at the same academy studying our art and Adrien and Chloe will be at the overseas boarding school. I know we talked about joining my dad on his tour and seeing some of the temples from our predecessors in Egypt. We might still have time for that. But I have to go to Inverness and I want you there with me. Seanmhair has plenty of room for us and if we want to help Adrien get along with Chloe— this is one way to do it. And maybe it will help the two of you get along too."

Marinette pouted, feeling very juvenile but unable to help herself. "I'm not the one that has problems getting along with others."

"No, but you were the hero she worshipped," Luka reminded her in a whisper. He kissed her cheek. "Trust me. It's a good idea." He leaned back and grinned, mischief twinkling in his eyes. "And if it's not, it will be great inspiration for a song." He chuckled. "Maybe an entire album!"

Marinette reached under the table for Luka's hand and relaxed when he squeezed it in reassurance. She looked up, smile in place, as Adrien and Chloe slipped into their booth, their own cups of pink frozen yogurt plunking onto the linoleum tabletop. Chloe had been so mesmerized by Adrien's company that she hadn't noticed she was trapped against the wall with Adrien himself preventing her escape.

"Adrikins, what's happening?" Chloe hissed.

"Luka! Marinette!" Adrien greeted happily and sincerely, relief flashing in his emerald eyes. "It's so great to see you both here! What a coincidence?!"

"Adrien," Marinette said with a genuine smile. "Hi, Chloe," she added with false cheer. She gestured towards Luka. "This is Luka Couffaine, Juleka's older brother."

Chloe directed her attention and a thousand-watt smile towards the musician. "I am Chloe Bourgeois." She held her hand towards him over the table expectantly. "I'm sure you're charmed."

"I am," Luka agreed, ignoring Chloe's hand and laying his arm over Marinette's shoulders instead, pulling her closer to him in a possessive power move that made the heiress' eye twitch. "Juleka has told me a bit about you over the years. Your dad is the mayor? Having a famous dad can be kind of rough." He used his free hand to shove a spoonful of yogurt into his mouth.

Chloe snatched her hand away, cheeks burning in indignation as she turned towards Adrien. "That's why Adrikins and I get along so well. My mother and his father are both famous designers. Our mothers were very dear friends. We're of the upper echelon of European society."

"Chloe, your yogurt is melting," Marinette said quietly, earning a glare for her helpfulness. Luka squeezed her shoulder gently.

"So are you going to spend the summer with your dad, Luka?" Adrien asked, digging into his own desert. He glanced towards Marinette and grinned. "Wow. You were right Marinette, the buttered pecan is delicious!"

Luka released Marinette's shoulders and drummed his fingers on the tabletop. He hadn't actually invited Adrien up to Invernes yet, that was part of the reason for meeting. "Maybe part of the summer. The tour will go on for several months."

"Tour?" Chloe asked, narrowed eyes between Luka and Adrien and completely ignoring Marinette. Which was fine, she was able to focus on eating the pistachio fro-yo sprinkled with gummy bears from her little pink cup.

"Yeah, Luka's dad is Jagged Stone," Adrien explained.

"What?" Chloe's mouth dropped open and she openly gaped at Luka before shifting her attention to Marinette. "How are you involved with the son of Jagged Stone?"

"Mari and I have known each other for a couple of years now," Luka explained before Marinette could. He turned towards his girlfriend and she found herself drowning inside those turquoise eyes of his. "We've dated off and on. We're on now and forever more, if I have anything to say about it."

Marinette smiled. "I think my parents have already picked out a wedding venue for us," she teased.

Luka laughed. "I wouldn't doubt it!"

"Ugh. Her parents are bakers," Chloe sniffed.

"And your mom is a dress-maker," Adrien pointed out. "And my dad is a tailor when you get down to it." He nodded his chin at Luka. "And your parents are bards."

"Actually," Luka said, shifting his weight. "Technically, my mom is Scottish Nobility and with my seanair's passing away, I'm a Laird." He gestured between himself and Marinette. "We'll be spending the first few weeks this summer at the family castle. Since you two are going to be settling into boarding school in London, I thought you might be interested in visiting."

"Me too?" Chloe asked. "A castle in Scotland?"

Luka looked between Marinette and Adrien. "Well aren't you a friend of Adrien and Marinette's? I've only heard them say nice things about you."

Chloe's eyes bulged and her bright eyes flickered towards Marinette before she smiled broadly at Luka. "Of course. Why wouldn't they say nice things about me? It would be ridiculous, utterly ridiculous to think otherwise!"

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