With all the bad guys beaten and the world as it should be, Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't needed so much anymore, now they still had their miraculous in case of emergency and would patrol the city every week or so but the days of them being needed almost every day were gone.
Even the "Big Reveal" was two years behind them, and it hadn't even been a surprise, by the time Ladybug decided it was okay They'd both already had a pretty good idea who the other was, The Reveal only served to confirm their theories.
Instead they were faced with a different challenge: high school graduation. Each of them going off and doing their own things but the issue was what were they supposed to be doing?
They had a few months to go but by now they had to be at least thinking about what they were gonna do.
"I mean you're gonna go into fashion right Marinette?"
Alya honestly didn't need to ask Tom and Sabine may have hoped she'd take over the bakery some day but they weren't gonna force that on her.
"Well yeah, but I still wanna work part time at my parents bakery, that place raised me, so I feel like I should help take care of it. And you're gonna study abroad in Canada?"
This was news to Adrien who spoke up. "Are you gonna be okay Nino?"
"You kidding? We're going long distance my love is strong enough to make it across the world." Nino played up the drama earning a laugh from his friends. "And obviously I'm gonna keep working at my music career I've got a few gigs lined up and I give lessons, how about you man?"
"Oh uh, I don't really know" Perhaps it was the lingering influence of his father but Adrien truly didn't know what he wanted to do with his life, he didn't exactly wanna go into modelling, fencing or becoming a pianist.
His Father or Monarch as he now knew him as had really wanted to control every aspect of his life thankfully he had the ring now.
"You don't know yet? You're really cutting it close" Alya seemed a little concerned for him.
"It's no big deal I'll come up with something." He seemed awfully nonchalant about this.
Marinette had known what she wanted to do since she was like 8 years old so she couldn't really relate to his issue.
They'd decide to focus on class for now, and after school Adrien would head to the library. He was studying history for an upcoming exam while their he would come across Manon who seemed to be having trouble with her homework.
"Do you need help?"
"Huh, oh you're… Marinette's boyfriend right? I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing."
"Yeah, what are you working on physics?" He'd look over her work. "They make middle schoolers do physics now? You must have it rough"
He'd sit down next to her, talking her through the questions, not giving her the answers but teaching her how to solve the questions herself.
"I think I get it now" Manon certainly seemed more confident then she had a short while ago. "You're a pretty good teacher"
"You think so?" Maybe that was something he could do? He hadn't really thought about going into teaching but maybe that could be good for him. At the very least it was something he actually wanted to do.
At the very least he thought it worth mentioning to Principal Mendeleiev. She used to be a Physics teacher after all.
"You know you've left it a bit late to pick a career like that" She began as she typed on her computer agreeing to assist him in finding somewhere he could study teaching properly.
"Most universities aren't taking new applicants at this point but I have a friend at the Sorbonne University who might be able to help you get a place… entrance exams are next month though so you'll really need to study"
Despite her icy demeanour she did genuinely care about her students' education. "Alright, I guess I can spare a little time to Tutor you, how about Thursdays after school? Of course you'll need to study independently as well, if you wanna be ready for this entrance exam you'll need to sacrifice a lot of your free time"
"Yes, thank you so much" Adrien's optimism was kinda infectious.
"Alright, now go home and get some rest because starting next week, you're going to study hard."
He'd bid her goodbye and head out of the office, Marinette was waiting outside the office for him though she hadn't really heard what they were on about.
"So Why'd you wanna talk to her?" Marinette would walk with Adrien.
"Well I think I wanna go into teaching after school." He hadn't really gotten a moment to tell her yet.
"Really? So have I gotta call you Monsieur Agreste?" She asked before giggling to herself
He simply rolled his eyes, walking ahead. She could kinda see it, Adrien as a teacher she hadn't thought about it before but it made sense.
Adrien would walk Marinette home bidding her goodnight before heading home himself. Plagg flew out of his bag laying on the bed.
"You really wanna be a teacher? You know they don't get paid much right?"
"You know there's things more important than money right Plagg?"
The Kwami just shrugged in response, still it was nice Adrien had a goal to follow.
Madame Mendeleiev was right about their being a lot for him to learn apparently it wasn't just about being good at physics just being good at something doesn't mean you can teach it.
She would speak about how each child learns differently so he has to adapt his teaching style accordingly otherwise he'd inevitably leave a couple of kids behind.
There was a lot more to this then he thought.
Marinette didn't often get a chance to spend time with him while he was studying, she understood of course but she still felt a little lonely.
"Alya it's not fair you can hang out with Nino as much as you like" She'd pout laying on her bed
"Well why don't you just try study dates, he can still get work done and you can spend time with him."
"He says I'd distract him."
"Why's that?"
"Because I would" she admitted somewhat sheepishly, he was probably right he'd be more likely to goof off if she was there.
Principal Mendeleiev had told him to study and she had to let him, no distractions.
She'd quiz him at their Tutor sessions to make sure he had done as she said. It was the final Thursday before the exam and Mendeleiev closed her binder containing notes and work sheets. "Alright you're ready, now go home and get some rest the entrance exam is tomorrow at 9:30am, you don't wanna be over tired. Good luck Adrien.
"Thank you for everything Madame Mendeleiev" Adrien left feeling fairly confident, and just glad that once this exam was over he'd have a little more free time.
Marinette had gone home with Nino and Alya so he'd head home by himself, but when he got their he'd find the gates wouldn't open. Strange.
The intercom screen would light up and he'd see Natalie wearing a face mask. "Natalie I can't get in- are you okay?"
"I should be fine" She'd begin though she was cut off by a sudden coughing fit. "It's just the flu, you're bodyguard caught it as well, anyway you can't stay here tonight you might catch it yourself, so just spend the night at a friend's house."
"But I have an exam tomorrow!"
"All the more reason you can't risk catching the flu" With that Nathalie would hang up.
Well that was just great, his first thought was to call Nino.
"Sorry man I'm at Alya's tonight" And of course Adrien couldn't stay at Nino's if Nino wasn't there.
Which left Marinette.
"Hey, sorry to impose so suddenly, but can I stay over tonight? Natalie came down with influenza."
He'd get the all clear after clearly explaining to Tom and Sabine that he has not ulterior motives and was just coming over so he had a place to sleep and so Tom would set up some pillows and a blanket on the couch for Adrien.
"Sorry I know it's not ideal"
"It's more than fine, thank you"
"If you just got out of school and couldn't go home that means you haven't eaten yet right? Come on I'll get you something."
"Oh that's not nece-"
"Oh nonsense you'll need your strength for that exam right?"
Tom would set to work making Adrien something to eat. It was just left over soup but it did come with bread from the best baker in Paris.
Marinette's Parents allowed him to hang out with Marinette in her room but he absolutely had to sleep on the couch.
"Sorry about this."
"Not at all I haven't really had a good opportunity to hang out with you."
"Personally I think it's good, trust me kid you've gotta work hard but relaxing is equally important" Plagg would interrupt thoughtlessly as always.
"You priorities relaxing over everything" Tikki interjected.
"So? You're just jealous because your wound so tight"
As their Kwamis bickered amongst themselves Adrien and Marinette would decide to play a video game a racing game Marinette had just gotten so neither of them were very good yet.
"Agh! Who put the Banana peel under the item box? I couldn't see it!" Marinette complained aloud as Adrien beat her, which didn't happen very often.
"It's getting kinda late, I should get to bed" Adrien didn't even have a spare set of clothes but Tom leant him some rather oversized Pyjamas and Sabine seemed confident she could have his clothes washed and dried by 9:30 tomorrow.
"Alright goodnight Adrien."
Adrien would head downstairs, it didn't take long for either of them to get too sleep.
Adrien was woken up by Plagg pulling his hair. And then he'd spot the time 9am that meant he only had half an hour to get ready and get too college? It was on the other side of town!
"Plagg why didn't you wake me earlier!"
"I only just woke up myself" Plagg shrugged before ducking out of sight as Tom entered the room from downstairs where he'd been preparing stuff for the bakery.
"Your clothes are ready but are you sure you can get there in time?"
"I can get him there" Marinette walked up after him holding the keys to her mini scooter.
So once Adrien was dressed and had been given a croissant for breakfast by Tom he and Marinette would set off they'd get their about five minutes before the exam was supposed to start.
Before he left Marinette would kiss him on the cheek "for luck"
Adrien would walk off towards the university and just before leaving Marinette would yell after him "Adrien! You can do it!"
He'd simply smile to himself before giving a thumbs up.
On her way back to the bakery Marinette was stuck in traffic when she noticed someone she was sure she recognised waiting tables at a cafe, dressed as a maid, she'd cut her hair shorter, no doubt to avoid being recognised but her voice was unmistakable.
"Chloe?" The Waitress froze seemingly recognising Marinette, she didn't respond however she simply finished clearing the table she was working on and headed inside the café.
Before Marinette even had a chance to speak she'd hear a honk behind her, the light was green and she had to go.
-
So this is gonna be a loosely connected one shot collection about what our favourite characters plan to do after college I've got a few chapters planned so far, one about Ivane and Mylene, And as I teased her one about Chloe plus a few more
But anyway I hope you enjoyed reading this leave a review because I always like reading them and I'll probably update this idk whenever inspiration strikes.