Chapter Text
Ladybug zips above, landing on the roof of the Agreste mansion. She hypes herself up.
“Ok. Adrien is a nice guy. He wouldn’t turn me away. And he wouldn’t tell anyone if I asked…”
Her thoughts drift to certain memories, memories that she locked away with the different future that leads to a stoic, icy eyed Chat Noir.
“This has nothing to do with my identity. Adrien wouldn’t....” she convinces herself.
Another deep breath.
“Okay.”
She hooks her yo-yo to Adrien’s window below. She swings down, and balances herself on his window pane.
Marinette peers in the window. Her heart beats faster when she sees that Adrien’s awake. He’s laying across his bed, but his head faces up. His mouth moves like he’s having a conversation with himself.
Ladybug quietly knocks, her knuckles barely tapping the glass. She gasps, and feels incredibly unfocused as she barely notices one glass of the window is already open. She could of flew in, the way she always had previously. Still, it’s polite to knock.
Her knock didn’t catch his attention.
She taps the window again, a little harder.
At this, Adrien’s head whips around.
“Ladybug?” He manages to keep his voice low in his surprise. Adrien dashes to the window, and gestures for her to come in.
“Come in, come in. What’s wrong?” Adrien questions, concern pouring through his voice.
Marinette steps through, and closes the open window halfway.
She looks up at the emerald eyed boy, who’s staring at her expectedly.
She starts to pace across his room, nervous.
“I would hate to bug you...But tonight I really need a place to sleep. And you..you came to mind. So if it’s not too much trouble, would that be ok?”
Adrien can’t believe his ears.
“Whatever you need, Ladybug. But what about your identity? I mean, what if you detransform?”
Ladybug’s heart races at the look of worry on his face. He’s so caring. Kagami is a lucky gal indeed. Ladybug smiles, eyes flitting to the ground.
“Thank you. I’ve already dealt with that. I won’t be detransforming....until I want to.”
Ladybug tries to sound confident, but she’s unsure. She starts to bite her lip.
“Okay. Cool. Um, you can have my bed. I mean, sleep on it....I’ll sleep on my couch.” Adrien rubs his neck shyly.
Marinette giggles at his speech. He’s different like this. Maybe it’s the Ladybug charm. But she would probably do the same if someone she cared for showed up at her balcony asking for a place to sleep. Not to say Adrien cares about her or anything!
“Thank you Adrien. It’s good you have the space to spare huh?”
Marinette decides not to argue about taking his bed. He’s a gentleman who’d insist, and honestly, she could really use the comfort of a bed as expensive and large as his right now.
“Yeah,” Adrien admits, “Sometimes a room like this just makes me feel lonely. To be honest, this whole house makes me feel so alone…”
Her heart tugs at the way his sad voice drifts off.
“I’m sure it does. I know Gabriel Agreste is a bit of a homebody who tries to keep you on a leash...but tonight, you’re not alone. And let some akuma try to ruin that, they’ll have to go through me!”
Marinette grins, and hopes to get Adrien to smile.
She doesn’t have to do anything else, because he grins at her words and her sweet expression that accompanies it. He looks bashful, but happy.
Adrien grabs one of his blankets from his bed, next to where Ladybug stands.
“I’m glad I get to be not so alone tonight. I know I’ll sleep good. Especially because a superhero won’t let anything happen to me.” Adrien’s cheeks redden. He then hurries over to his couch and lays down. He uses his blanket to snuggle into.
“Of course!” Marinette crawls into bed and gets under the covers, “and thank you again.”
She can’t see Adrien over the back of his couch. She debates over telling Adrien too much.
“I...I was having a hard time earlier. I really needed somewhere to stay tonight, to think clearly and rest...and I’m grateful you let me. I might’ve had a meltdown if I had to keep on wondering who to go to or what to do next...” she keeps her voice low.
“If you need my help, I’ll always help. But are you okay? If it’s ok for me to ask, why aren’t you home?” Adrien wonders.
“I...ran into some trouble after the akuma attack. I can’t go home right now.”
“Trouble?” Adrien sits up abruptly, and Marinette can see him as he looks at her worriedly. His eyes are bright and alert.
“What sort of trouble?” He asks.
“N-nothing too serious. Nothing to worry yourself about.” She smiles.
Adrien slowly lies back down.
“I’ll take your word for it,”
The uncertainty in his voice says otherwise.
There’s quiet in the air.
Adrien hears soft breathing.
“Ladybug? So, I have school tomorrow. What do you plan to do tomorrow...are you going to school? I- mean- if you even go to school or whatever…”
“I won't be going to school tomorrow. I’ll leave in the morning, though.”
“But you can’t leave without eating? What do you like to eat? I can’t bring anything to you until my lunch break, because I don’t think I can sneak breakfast up without my father’s assistant noticing. But I’d feel better if you left energized.”
“You’ve done enough, I’ll be fine.” Marinette mumbles.
Adrien has to play dumb.
“No, it wouldn’t feel right. And your kw-kwami? What does it like to eat?”
“My kwami...Tikki likes cookies, macaroons, sweet things...” She reveals with a yawn.
“Great! I can stop by the bakery during lunch break and bring sweets up to you. My bodyguard will indulge me if I beg. I’ll bring you food at noon, and leave back for school. Then you can leave anytime. Sounds like a plan?”
“Y-yes. Sounds like a plan.”
“Awesome. Goodnight Ladybug,”
Despite his incoming tiredness, there’s cheeriness in his voice. He truly is happy to help his partner. Anything he could do to keep the distress radiating off of Ladybug at bay, he’ll do it.
“Goodnight, Adrien,” She sighs.
Marinette closes her eyes. Her dilemma of being stuck as Ladybug overrides her thoughts. The what ifs worries her. She tries to push it away as best as she can. Soon, she feels herself drifting to sleep, sinking into the comfort.