Work Text:
2- Akuma-Proof
It was a day like any other. The sun was shining, school was in session, Chloé was ripping a page out of Marinette's design book.
"Chloé, stop! I spent all weekend on that!" the dark haired girl cried, scrambling to get her hard work back.
The stuck up blonde rolled her eyes, purposely smudging the penciled dress, before carelessly tossing the paper back to her frequent victim. "I don't even know why you bother. We both know you're just going to end up like your fat-ass mother, working in a crappy bakery for the rest of your life," she taunted.
Everyone gasped at Chloé's audacity. Not only was the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie the top reviewed bakery in Paris, Marinette's parents were hands down the friendliest people around. And their daughter loved them with all of her heart.
Unshed tears started to form in Marinette's eyes. Anger, sadness, and pain began to flutter across her face as she forcefully crumpled her ruined design. No one had ever seen the sweet girl glare so hatefully at anyone.
Even Chloé seemed to realize she might have crossed a line as she began to shrink away from the normally cheerful girl. The palpable darkness radiating from the young designer could be felt across the room, driving Mylène into Ivan's awaiting embrace.
"Marinette, it's alright. Don't worry. We can fix i-," Alya trailed off, feeling a bit afraid when the glare turned toward her. The twin blue bell orbs had taken on a dangerous glint. Her friend was not in the mood for empty platitudes.
And that's when it came… A small black butterfly gently fluttered into the classroom.
Adrien was the first to notice it, dreading the akuma that would emerge from his creative and headstrong classmate. Slowly, he inched off his seat, hoping beyond hope that he would be able to run off to transform before he needed to scrape Chloé off a wall.
Just as he was about to make a break for the door, Rose screamed, "Marinette! Look out!"
BANG!
Marinette's closed fist slammed into the akuma, crushing it on the table.
Adrien stared dumbfounded at the crushed insect as it twitched a couple times before stopping. A wisp of darkness drifted off into the air, turning the insect white. The little butterfly never stood a chance.
You could hear a pin drop as the students stared at the now deceased and purified akuma.
"Just leave me alone!" Marinette groused cutely, stomping out of her class, and leaving her audience in a shocked stupor.
Marinette was running late again, the warning bell had long since passed and class was in session. For once, she actually had a good excuse that wasn't related to her extracurricular superheroics. Headmaster Damocles had stopped her for a brief update as class representative.
Surreptitiously, the aspiring designer opened the door and hoped that she could pass by unscathed, but all was for naught.
"Marinette! What is your excuse this time?" Madam Mendeleiev demanded rhetorically, catching the girl before she could sneak into her seat. "This is why your science grades are falling behind."
Chloé and Sabrina snickered loudly at the spectacle of the poor girl getting chewed out.
"But Madam Mendeleiev, I needed to-," the dark haired teen tried to explain before being silenced.
SLAP
The strict science teacher slammed a ruler on her desk. "I will not have you continue making a mockery of this collège!"
Marinette's eyes became wide as she tried to stutter out her explanation, but the words would not come. Her breathing became more labored and panicked as she gripped her bag tighter.
"B-but… b-ut… H-h-headmaster Da-Damocles," the poor overwhelmed girl finally whispered out, unable to lift her head to look at the teacher.
However, Madam Mendeleiev refused to listen, pointing her finger imperiously at the now shaking collégienne. "Yes, come with me to the Headmaster's office. I think it's time we spoke to your parents about your inability to arrive on time."
The class gazed as their sweet class representative began to hyperventilate and burst into tears. A trail of mucous began to drip down her nose as she fumbled for a handkerchief.
Just as the stern science instructor reached out to grab the dark haired girl's arm, she froze and inhaled sharply.
A black butterfly innocently circled Marinette, searching for the perfect item to infect. The corrupted insect drew ever closer to the crying girl.
Adrien cursed under his breath and eyed the door. As long as no one paid too much attention, he would be able to slip by completely unnoticed. As he carefully lifted himself up to slide out of his seat, his heart sank as the little akuma moved to touch Marinette's hanky.
FFFFFT!
The crying girl blew her nose forcefully into her cloth tissue, capturing the black butterfly in a glob of snot. A sticky ball of darkness dripped out of the handkerchief and fell to the floor before melting away.
As he stared at the remains of the soggy white insect, Adrien wondered if it would be creepy to visit Marinette as Chat Noir and ask for her used tissues.
They knew it was wrong, but they couldn't help themselves.
"Five euros says she farts on the next one," Kim bet, slamming the money on his desk.
"Ugh," Alya huffed, giving the muscular Asian a look of disgust. "Do you have to be gross about it? Why can't you pick something normal?"
"To be fair, that time with the snot was pretty disgusting, too," Alix defended, waving her hand carelessly. "But, I'll say she coughs on it this time. She's had a sore throat for the past few days."
Max added the skater girl's guess to his notebook before reasoning, "I believe there is a 83% chance she will stab it with a pencil after Chloé insults her. Marinette experiences bursts of inspiration on Thursday afternoons and tends to be interrupted by Chloé 76% of the time."
"Hah!" the blonde haired girl interrupted. "Don't blame her freak-outs on me. I bet she gets worked up after she trips on her big feet and cries on it."
"Oh so we're betting on reasons now, too?" Alya narrowed her eyes and slammed a ten euro note down. "Well, I say Chloé starts a fight and Marinette uses a magazine to smack it on this brat's forehead."
As the two girls glared daggers at one another, Rose interjected sweetly, "I think she's going to eat it at lunch in her sandwich."
Everyone stopped to look incredulously at the cute girl.
"That's nice, Rose. I think so, too," Juleka agreed gently, patting her friend's hand.
The class collectively shook their heads.
"I-I think she'll calm down and it'll just go away," Nathaniel volunteered, raising his hand. "Marinette's really nice so I don't think it'll even get close this time."
"Nice?" Chloé scoffed, snapping her fingers. "Sabrina!"
On cue, the redheaded girl pulled out a clipboard with a data table. "Marinette has had a meltdown every single day for the last month. Chloé is right; she's going to trip and then cry on it."
"But what if this time she actually turns into an akuma? I think that might happen," Mylène whimpered, moving to Ivan for comfort.
"Don't worry Mylène. I think she'll drop a book on it," the large boy consoled.
"I don't see what's so special about Marinette. I think this time I'll be the one that stops it," Lila interjected, drawing the class' attention.
"No way," Nino disagreed, shaking his head. "Marinette is like the only one that's ever been immune. I bet she could actually touch the akuma and purify it."
Alya nodded happily at her boyfriend. "She's like the embodiment of good wrapped up in a sugary sweet package."
"Pssh. We all know that's an act. Akuma wouldn't even be able to target her if she was a nice as she pretended to be," Chloé countered before noticing one person had yet to speak. "Isn't that right Adrien?"
The class turned to the blonde haired boy who stood up and glared at them.
"I think you're all messed up for treating this like a game," he spat, darkly. "Akuma are dangerous and shouldn't be taken so lightly."
Before anyone could respond, the girl they were talking about chose that moment to walk through the door, making everyone turn to her.
"U-um. Wh-why are you all looking at me?" Marinette asked worriedly, feeling a bit unnerved by the silent classroom.
"They were betting on how you were going to purify the next akuma!" Adrien growled, delivering a poisonous glare at the other students.
The dark haired girl paled rapidly and clutched her purse tightly. "Wh-what? I-I don't purify akuma."
Everyone looked at Marinette with disbelief.
"Girl? You mean you haven't noticed?" Alya asked, gently. "The black butterflies have been gunning for you all month. Every time they come close, you end up purifying and killing them."
Marinette let her jaw drop and stared off in shock before muttering, "No wonder there haven't been any akuma for a while…" Suddenly, she brightened. "Wait. That's a good thing!"
"Yeah yeah. Great. Thanks alot for spilling the beans Alya," Chloé sneered. "You just couldn't stand losing the bet so you had to let her know."
Before the bespectacled girl could retort, Adrien cut her off with a snarl, "SHUT UP!"
The class turned with wide eyes to the normally calm and collected boy and abject horror as everyone except Marinette noticed a familiar winged insect making it's way toward him.
"How dare you!? THIS. IS. NOT. A. GAME," he exploded, clenching his fists tightly and digging his nails into his palms.
The dark haired girl was visibly taken aback by the fury that marred her crush's face and swallowed her own self-consciousness. "Hey. It's okay. Nothing bad has happened," she comforted, reaching out a surprisingly steady hand to the boy's shoulder
Adrien turned a slightly softer but still enraged look at the girl as she stepped closer and replied with a frustrated tone, "Princess. They were coming up with ways you were going to 'freak-out', too. It wasn't right. I can't let that happen."
A sudden look of clarity crossed Marinette's face as she came to a realization and her features softened, pulling the boy into a gentle hug.
"Oh mon minou. I know you'll always have my back," the dark haired girl whispered in his ear.
Adrien pulled back slightly and his eyes widened in shock as he gazed in dawning comprehension.
As one, they moved to press their lips, feeling a moment of a strange sensation before a sense of right enveloped the couple as they felt their lips touch.
"Does kissing kind of count as eating it?" Rose asked, very confused but happy for the new couple nonetheless.