Chapter Text
After the attack was over, everyone went back to class. Chloè watched them all pile in, disgusted. They were all still up Rossi’s ass for the most part, but Alya and Nino seemed a little... pulled back, reserved. She thought back to earlier, when they too were mindless sheep. Lila claiming to be Rena Rouge is what seemed to be what pulled them out. Chloè doesn't know what happened after she left, but Liar seemed to have found a way to win back the class's attention... All except for the only two who had some reason to doubt her. Hmm.
Her attention went to the door as the rest of the class went silent, staring. In came Marinette and Adrien, the girl giving Chloè a glance and a soft smile that she returned before looking at her seat in the back of the room and nothing else as she went to sit down. Adrien had his arm wrapped around her protectively as he escorted her to the back of the room, not sparing even a look at anyone else, his eyes solely focused on Marinette and making sure that she's okay.
“Hi Adrien!” Chloè had to stifle a laugh as the boy completely ignored Lila. With no background noise, the entire class had no doubt seen the Italian's misfire.
Not that they were paying that much attention. The sight of Adrien and Marinette together was quite incredible, but don't tell them Chloè thought that.
Once she was seated, and only once he was positive she was okay, did Adrien look away from Marinette towards Chloè. He gave her a tiny wave, and noticing and ignoring the irony of him acknowledging her, she raised her eyebrow, but waved back nonetheless. They were still childhood friends, no matter the state of said friendship. She figured that she should probably be a little nicer to him before he called her out on her hypocrisy. His pacifism has helped her in the past, but there’s a difference between him defending her, his oldest friend, when she tried to leave... And letting someone close to him get attacked by lies. She frowned a little... Maybe he just didn’t know how to assert himself to a large number of people. How ridiculous.
Alya made her way over to Marinette, “Hey Mari, I figured I could sit by you, so you wouldn't have to be in the back by yourself.”
Marinette looked at Chloè, their earlier conversation fresh in both of their minds, before turning to face Alya. “Actually, that's Adrien's seat, so you'd have to ask him to switch with you. It wouldn't really be fair to change his seat without his input.” Atta girl. Adrien slid into the seat.
Cesaire's face fell, no doubt realizing the underlying sass in Marinette's otherwise completely harmless comment, but it bounced back quickly. “I figured he could go sit by Nino again.”
Marinette didn't even blink. “Did you ask Adrien? Besides, you got to sit with your boyfriend for a little bit, why can't I sit with mine?”
It's a really good thing that they were no longer at lunch because everyone would've done a spit take, Chloè herself included. She knew that their relationship had turned into less of an “if” situation and into more of a “how long are they gonna be annoying” kind of thing, but she didn't expect an immediate turnaround.
“What?” Everyone turned to the front of the class. “Adrien, I thought yo-”
Chloè went to cut her off, not even sure on what to say, but Adrien himself beat her to it. “I can still help you with your homework sometimes, but I want to sit with Marinette. She's even better than me with some subjects, so she could help out, too!” His ever consistent optimism had struck again.
“I don't feel comfortable around Mar-”
“Well, Adrien doesn't feel comfortable by himself around you, so if you really need his help, I guess we're a package deal.” Marinette cut her eyes at Lila.
“Doesn't feel comfortable around me? I've been nothing but nice to both of you! You haven't even apologized to me!”
Some of the class chattered their agreement.
I won't apologize for how I feel. I can't help that. My actions...” She glanced at Chloè again. “My actions might have been a little extra, but can you really be mad over some fact checking? Some of your stories don't make sense, and I'm an extremely curious person. I wanted to share your stories with other people, and someone once told me that a good reporter always verifies her sources. I just wanted to have all of the facts.” Marinette turned on a pout, “If you're really unhappy with me, I could get Jagged Stone to come visit, as an apology. He'd probably love to see you again!”
Lila opened her mouth to respond, but Mme. Bustier walked into the room, ready to start class.
“Before I begin attendance, Marinette are you okay? Strangely, there wasn't much footage of the akuma attack, but I believe we all remember what happened which is even stranger...”
The class began to murmur. “I heard Ladybug didn't even show up until the very end.”
“She was probably in another part of the city, apparently Little Devil did the most amount of damage in the shortest time possible.”
“There was chaos everywhere. I wonder how Ladybug and Chat Noir even made it past all of those little demons flying everywhere.”
Chloè frowned. “What are you all talking about?” Did she miss something?
Adrien looked just as confused as Marinette flushed, dropping her head to her desk.
Sabrina pulled out her phone, “There's only one coherent video, and it's on the Ladyblog.” She opened the video and handed her phone to Chloè.
Alya huffed, out of breath as she ran. “This is Alya Cesaire, live at the scene of the latest Akuma atack. No clue as to who and what it is, but they- Oh shit!” The camera turned around as Little Devil rose over the top of the school. Her Demonettes swarmed around her.
“I am Little Devil! You all wanted me to be the bad guy, and I guess this is my opportunity to grant that wish! You thought I was jealous? I’ll show you jealousy. You called me rude? I’ll give you rude!” At the wave of her hand, her army attacked civilians, surrounding them, whispering hate into their ears.
“No one is free of guilt and anger. You forced me to be perfect all of the time, forced me to hide all of my negative emotions, forced me to always be the good guy!”
Little Devil’s eyes found Alya, and she smirked as the reporter gasped. “Mari...?”
“I am Little Devil, and if I can’t express my frustrations, then all of you can do it for me.”
She raised her hand, the little demons taking to the skies as she herself dropped gracefully to the ground, walking over to Alya. The red cloud behind her looked almost like a twisted version of the Miraculous Cure, surging throughout all of Paris, infecting everyone.
Alya, to afraid to move, did nothing as Little Devil snatched the phone from her and held it up to her face, as if it was her recording now. Which it was.
“Now, I’m the bad guy.” with a wink and a kiss, Little Devil dropped the phone onto the ground, laughing as she rose above the chaos.
On its way to the ground, the phone got a wide shot of the civilians, now consumed with rage, destroying the city. When it hit the pavement, the video ended with a loud crack.
Sabrina put her phone away. “ All of the other videos just show people screaming as a swarm of red overtook them.”
Alya nodded. “The entire city was compromised within minutes. No other akuma did half that. How did you miss that?”
Chloè rolled her eyes. “One of us had to be the hero.” The girl flinched, and the blonde smirked. She had her suspicions back at lunch, but now she knew.
Mme. clapped her hands. “Now now class, there’s no room for any of that. We wouldn’t want another attack so soon, would we?”
“No, Ma’am.”
She smiled and began attendance.
---
After the school day had ended, everyone made their way outside.
Kagami was waiting for Chloè, so she turned to Sabrina. “How much homework do we have?”
“Not a lot. Mme. didn’t give us any because she wanted us to reflect on today and how our words can hurt just as much as our actions.”
“Good, so you can just go home, and do our homework tomorrow.”
Her eyes lit up. “Are you sure? We still have that history project!”
Chloè sighed, “Isn’t it your dad’s birthday today?”
“You remembered?”
“Of course I did!” Conveniently. “So... Go spend the day with him. Before I change my mind.”
Sabrina yanked Chloè into a hug. “You’re the best!”
“Of course I am! Now go. And stop wrinkling my jacket!”
Sabrina ran off, and Chloè glanced over at Kagami, instantly glancing away as she caught her eye. Her face flushing a slight pink, the blonde made her way over.
“Her father’s birthday?” There was a smugness, not only in her raised eyebrow, but in her tone as well.
Chloè cleared her throat. “I can’t be a bitch all of the time, or else she’d get fed up with me. We can’t have that, can we?”
“Are you sure you’re not just feeling generous? You were the hero today, maybe that influenced you...”
Kagami snorted at the blonde’s scoff. “I’m a hero everyday, don’t you forget it. One day isn’t going to change me.” She paused. “Change me much. I’m still upset with Adrikins, but it’s more of me just being selfish, I guess. We’ll be alright.”
“Hm. So if it’s not that... Maybe you just wanted her to leave?” Kagami laughed as Chloè sputtered. “Did you want to speak with me alone? Is that why you sent her away?”
“Well I very well can’t ask you out with her still here, can I?” The blonde gasped, hands clapping to her mouth. Maybe... Maybe she shouldn’t be allowed to know secrets...
“Oh?” Kagami asked. She looked around. “Well she’s not here anymore is she? Go ahead.”
Chloè relaxed, rolling her eyes. “Don’t sass me, Tsurugi. Anyways. I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch this weekend... Or today, since none of us ate.”
“What, like right now?”
Chloè panicked. “I mean, if you had other plans, then it’s whatever. I just thought I would offer. Since I’m your hero.”
“I wouldn’t say that I called you my hero, per say, Maybe Paris’s hero. Or Adrien’s. Definitely Ladybug’s, which counts for a lot, I think.” She looked over at her waiting car. “But sure, I’d love to grab lunch with you today.”
Both girls, blushing slightly, turned towards the doors of the school as Marinette and Adrien walked out, pinkies linked. Chloè patted the box in her pocket and sighed. “I have to give this back, don’t I?”
Kagami shrugged, but followed her over towards the couple anyways. They met at the bottom of the stairs, a certain reporter and her boyfriend just reaching the door a few meters behind.
“Dating, huh? I didn’t think you’d be moving that fast.”
Adrien and Marinette blushed. “We’re not. We’ve agreed to take things slow. We both know that we’re probably not going to date anyone else ever, but...”
“We’re both still dealing with how we’ve been circling each other for a year.” Marinette finished.
“Yeah. I’m also not quite ready for a relationship yet.” he added.
“Okay, but the whole thing back there in class?”
Marinette looked away, and Adrien answered. “She jumped the gun a little bit there,” He pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. “But I’m not complaining.”
“You two are cute. I want to vomit.” Kagami laughed, “But I did want to apologize to you, Marinette. I assumed some incorrect things which lead me to treating you wrong.”
“It’s okay Kagam-”
“But, in hindsight I guess I was right the entire time anyways. Adrien did have a huge thing for you. And apparently,” She knocked Chloè’s shoulder with her own, “So does your entire class.”
“Kagami!” The other three laughed. “Stop telling Marinette nice things I said about her!”
“Or what? She already thinks you guys are friends.”
“Ugh, Dupain-Cheng! I told you. Not friends. Ever!” She huffed and pulled out the box. “The only reason we even came over here was so that I could give this back. So take it!”
Marinette stopped laughing and took Pollen’s box. “Does she know?” She gestured at Kagami.
“Chat No-Adrien picked the wrong roof for them to have an argument, and things might have been learned, secrets shouted out in anger.”
Marinette glared at both of the blondes. Chloè raised her hands in surrender. “To be fair, I had just figured out that one of my best friends had betrayed his own best friend who just so happened to be my hero and our normal saving grace. I was understandably upset!”
“Is that why he grabbed you and jumped off of- wait, I’m your hero?”
Both Marinette and Chloè blushed. “Do you not remember Antibug? At all? I’m Ladybug’s biggest fan. But I’m your hero for today, so we’re even. Never mention it again, thank you.
“Anyways, I figured that while Pollen would be a great thank you for saving Paris from an akumatized Ladybug when no one else could, unfortunately she isn’t mine to keep, nor is she yours to give.”
Marinette put the box into her bag. “I’ll talk to... I’ll see what I can do. Maybe try a probationary trial? You did save Ladybug.”
Chloè snickered. “So everyone keeps saying.”
“Aren’t there two more of you?”
“Chat doesn’t know who they are, which I guess is fine because he would’ve chosen one of them probably.”
“Do you know who Rena and Carapace are? Since when?” Adrien and Marinette looked at each other.
“Since lunch.” She smirked. “I figured out the entire miraculous team before Ladybug found out one cat.”
“What?! There’s no way!” Chloè whispered Alya and Nino’s names in her ear, and Marinette gasped. “That’s not fair!” She fake pouted. “I chose most of you, well... half of you... Only them... But still! How?”
“Lila told the lunchroom she was Rena Rouge.”
“Oof. Nevermind.”
“Maybe we should all just meet up and tell each other.” Adrien shrugged.
“Aww. Poor kitty doesn’t like being left out.” The girls laughed. “I’m good though. I’m not sure I want to be there when they realize that I knew before them.” Said couple slowly began to walk over to them. “Anyways, I just wanted to return the box. We’re going to grab lunch.” Adrien raised his eyebrows. He didn’t expect them to get along that well... “Maybe one day we can do doubles. Although that’s it. If you invite Lahiffe and Cesaire, I’m out.”
“So there are conditions to the friendship then?”
“We! Are! Not! Friends!”
Marinette laughed at the two of them, while Adrien voiced his confusion. “Wait... doubles? As in... you two...?”
“He seems to not understand.” Kagami grabbed Chloè’s hand, locking their fingers together loosely. “We should probably go before he has another freak out.”
“Yeah, we’re also about to have an audience so...”
Chloè and Kagami said their goodbyes and walked away, hand in hand, laughing.
“Never thought they’d get along.” Adrien commented. “I mean, I hoped, but...”
“Chloè and the Ice Queen? Makes sense when you think about it, honestly.” Nino said from behind them.
“Don’t call her names, Nino. She’s a really nice person.” Marinette turned around, not quite looking at Alya, who in turn wasn’t quite looking at her either. “They both are.”
“Chloè? Nice? She ripped into us earlier today at lunch!”
“She also saved me.”
“Apparently she also fixed your relationship issues,” Alya commented. “When did she have time to do all of that?”
“In between sticking up for me and saving Paris, I believe.” Marinette sighed at Alya’s flinch. “That was a little rude. I-”
“No, I deserved it. I was supposed to have your back, but I wrote you off as just being jealous. I should’ve known to trust you.” Alya laughed. “She called herself Rena Rouge! Of all people? I’m Not-Uhm... Rena’s not even Italian!”
“Yeah, plus there’s no way Ladybug would choose her. She’s only been in Paris for like two separate days!”
“Nino, she never left Paris. What are you talking about?”
“You heard her, she was in...” He trailed off. “Maybe I should think about everything that she says... Either way it doesn’t make sense. Truth or Lie.”
“And now we have to sit behind her everyday! I miss you all the way at the back of the class.”
Marinette tensed a little, and Adrien put his arm around her before she responded. “Maybe you should have thought of that before you put me there.” There was no anger to her words now, only sadness.
“We should probably go. I have fencing today, but it looks like Kagami isn’t going either, so we can just go to your bakery. We still have a lot to talk about.”
“Call me tonight?” Alya looked at Marinette, hoping that the girl would forgive her even though technically she never said sorry.
Marinette fixed her bag on her shoulders. Like Adrien and Chloè, it would probably take a while for Alya and her to get back to where they were. She loved Alya, but she had hurt Marinette. She decided that she probably can’t be upset forever. Alya clearly wasn’t going to apologize, and that hurt.
“We’ll see.”
Marinette and Adrien walked into the bakery, hand in hand.
“Marinette, are you okay? There was an akuma today, but I haven’t seen the foot-” Her mom glanced up from the register. “Tom!”
Marinette winced as her father ran to the front, “What happened? Is everything okay?”
“You owe me 50 Euro!”
“Maman!” She buried her face in her hands while Adrien laughed.
"You said-"
"I said that they'd get together after they figured out each other's identities. There's no other way it could have happened. I don't need to ask, I just know."
"How long have you two known?"
"What? You think our daughter decides to run around in spandex saving Paris and that we don't know about it?" Tom chuckled. "And Adrien, you've been in her room so many times that you weren't surprised by seeing your face on all of the walls." Marinette's face flushed. "There's not too many explanations. However, the next time you want to have a late night visit, just come through the front door. I almost had a heart attack the first time I went to go check on Marinette and she wasn't in her bed. If I hadn't of heard you two on the balcony, I surely would have."
"Papa!"