Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Paris night was clear - the sky shimmering with the golden glow of street lamps and stars.  

A beautiful evening for a patrol.

It had been an uneventful night so far. Pedestrians waved at them from below, the warm wind of spring brushed through his blond hair and tail, Chat Noir’s green eyes flicked to his Lady and he watched her athletically leap over a chimney, the muscles in her arms and legs, taut and beautiful.

“Purr-tty quiet out here, huh?” he called.

She nodded, a thoughtful look passing her bluebell eyes. Landing together on a roof, Ladybug’s gaze flicked to the southeast and he followed her glance, his cat ears focusing.

“Akuma senses tingling?” he asked her with a smirk, his belted tail flapping coyly behind him.

“I think something’s going on near the Place du Châtelet square,” she said softly, her expression distracted - and distracting. “There’s usually more traffic coming from that intersection. Even at this time of night.”   

Her cute pigtails tossing over her shoulders, she started spinning her yoyo tightly.

“We should check it out, Chat.”

“It’s been over a week since the last akuma. I’d say we’re due.”

She nodded. “Thanks to that, we’ve been doing well keeping on top of the patrol schedule.”

He shot her a devilish grin. “It’s a good thing we have these patrols or you’d cry yourself to sleep missing me.”

“Ha! I’d sooner cry about stubbing my toe,” she returned, the distracted look leaving her eyes in the wake of their banter.

“I’ll kiss it and make it better, My Lady,” Chat purred, sweeping her a deep bow - and reaching for her fingers at the same time.

She rewarded him a dazzling smile, but pulled her hand away.

He felt his heart race in his chest.

Dieu, she was beautiful.

“No, thanks - you’ll cough a furball on me. Besides, you’ll be the one left crying, Chat Noir,”

He leaned on his pole, his face growing close to hers. “Oh, yeah? Gonna make me cry when you break my heart?”

“No - when I leave you in the dust!”

Her sweet laughter followed his loud “Hey!” as she swung quickly to the sky, flipped over a ledge, and ran across a roof to swing down to the square. He was hot on her heels, ebony boots touching the ground only a second after her.

She grinned, reaching up to boop his nose.

“I win.”

He gave her a pout. “You can’t start a race without telling me, Bugaboo. That’s not how the game works.”

“If you can’t handle the game, don’t complain when you lose, chaton.” Her eyes twinkled merrily up at him.

All humor dropped as a scream broke out from the northern section of the square. Snapping their gaze to the streets, a woman ran around the corner in panic followed by a brilliant lavender beam of light streaking past.

“Looks like your Ladybug sense was right on the spot.”

“Sometimes I wish it wasn’t,” she murmured.

The akuma rounded the corner and Chat let out a low whistle.

“Someone looks furr-ious.”

The akuma was floating - a wave of rolling energy coiling off her body like vapor. Dressed in a deep purple robe with strange jagged symbols covering it, she flickered in and out of view like a specter. A long twisted staff in her thin fingers, her lips were crunched in an angry scowl.

The akuma fired another blast from her staff and the woman ducked just in time - crouching behind a parked car. The spell shivered over the vehicle - a jagged symbol snaking across it.

The heroes locked eyes and immediately read each other’s thoughts.

Despite the jokes, the banter, his flirting and her brushing off his advances, they were so well versed in each other’s abilities there was no need for verbal communication. They were as one - a perfect team - a synchronization honed by mutual trust, respect, and faith.

Ladybug cast her yoyo and swung, diving down to scoop the civilian into her arms.

Meanwhile, Chat raised his extended baton at… nothing?

Glanced around the empty square, his weapon at the ready, he focused his sharp hearing and searched with his catlike senses - still nothing. Ladybug landed back at his side, the worry tossing over her pretty features. Yoyo swirling, she scanned with him - studying the shadows as the rich night grew deeper.

“You lost the akuma already?”

“Hard to keep track when they can pull a disappearing act.”

Immediately turning back to back, Chat felt her hand accidentally brush against his leg and a warm thrill rushed through him.

“Do you hear anything?” she asked, keeping her weapon spinning.

Curving his concentration back to the fight and not on her sweet scent, he listened intently - nope.

“Silent as the grave,” he answered, shaking his head. “Maybe the akuma realized she was a third wheel and left. This is a nice spot for a date.”

Ladybug groaned and he grinned cheekily.

Another few tense heartbeats and she gasped.

“Over there! By the Fountaine du Palmier!”

“On it!”

Twisting on toe, he followed her in the charge. The akuma let out a wild hiss and shot the lavender beam from her staff. They dodged the attack, Ladybug flipping to the left and Chat leaping to the right. The akuma glided away - flickering quickly around the square.

“She’s creepy,” he shuddered.

The akuma materialized in front of him and he quickly catapulted away with his baton. The spell hit the fountain behind him and he gasped as a dark violet cloud engulfed it - molting into a car. Turning his head, he saw the tall concrete fountain pivoted on the sidewalk where the car used to be, crunched on top of vehicles parked beside it.

Broken pipes flooded water into the street.  

“What a cat-lateral reception!” Chat called as he landed on the other side. Ladybug was closer to the akuma, her eyes skimming the square.

Had she already called out her Lucky Charm ?

Catching his eye, it was as if she spoke in his head. He knew instantly what she needed.

She hadn’t figured out her charm yet.

Time to stall.

Ladybug took the akuma’s right, he took the left.

Flipping her yoyo, she cut through a blast from the akuma’s staff and kept just out of reach. He went airborne, jumping with his baton. Landing at the akuma’s side, the purple woman snarled as he went for a hit. The baton phased through her. He dodged another quick shot and noticed she was more dense when she threw a spell.

“Go for her staff! The akuma is probably in there! She needs to be solid to shoot her spells! That’s when she’s vulnerable!” Chat called.

“Got it!”

The akuma snarled again, readying another attack, but the yoyo latched onto the staff as soon as it was solid - tangling on it tightly. Ladybug pulled, her teeth gritting, but the akuma wasn’t giving up.

The akuma suddenly grinned triumphantly.

Chat’s eyes went wide as the staff’s end began to glow - pointed straight at Ladybug. She realized it just as he did, her blue gaze glimmering with fright.

“No!” he roared, sprinting forward.

He made it just in time - arms outstretched to cover her.

The blast hit him in the back.

**************************

Her heart was in her throat as he fell forward on his hands and knees - a grunt of pain leaving his lips. It was the same as when the spell had hit the car - the jagged symbol streaking across his entire body before vanishing off him in whisk of lavender dust.  

“Chat Noir! ” she cried, a desperation curling with her fear. He was groaning, his eyes closed and his teeth clenched.

Unlacing her yoyo, Ladybug jumped - leading the akuma away from her fallen partner. The monster followed - her attention no longer concerned with him.

Her Lucky Charm had given her something non-straightforward as usual. Glancing at the red and black mirror strapped to her hip, her blue eyes whisked the square again for a sign.

Then they landed on the akuma's staff and her yoyo.

Chat, still on his hands and knees, was blinking with green eyes unfocused, but slowly stumbling to his feet.

Plucking up the mirror, she held it with one hand, spinning the yoyo ready with the other.

The akuma had disappeared again - her blue eyes searched high and low.

"My Lady! Behind you!" Chat's voice called and she immediately turned on toe - slinging the yoyo as she went. She caught the staff once more just as a shot rang from the tip. Holding up the mirror, it bounced off the glass - streaming straight back to the akuma's weapon.

The akuma shrieked - her staff erupting in splintered cracks - the spell sizzling down to her fingertips. She dropped the staff just as a black cladded figure landed and Chat Noir hurried to stomp the edge of his baton on the broken weapon.

The butterfly fluttered out.

Ladybug, worry for her partner still clenching her stomach, quickly purified the akuma and threw the mirror high in the air.

" Miraculous Ladybug!"

She watched her magic wash the akuma, now an older lady with a cane, and over the square to the fountain and car - but not over Chat.

“Are you okay?” she asked, stepping forward - her hand reached out for him. He took a few steps back from her fingertips, a strained grin spreading on his lips.

“Y-yeah! That was a close one, huh?” he chuckled, lacing his hands behind his back sheepishly.

There was something he was hiding.

“Chat - did… did my magic not… heal you?” Her concern twisted inside.

“N-No! No! I’m fine! Really! The spell did absolutely nothing except for make me dizzy for a few minutes. Good thing you had my back, right?”

They both jumped at the chirp in her earrings.

“You better go, partner. I’ll make sure she gets back safe.” He nodded kindly with that same stretched smile.

There was a familiarity in that smile - she’d seen it before, but on someone else…

Ladybug released a huffing breath. “Alright, Chat Noir. If you say so. Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”

With another look of apprehension over her shoulder, she tossed her yoyo and flew into the night sky.

Chat pulled his hand from around his back.

He glanced at his clawed fingers -

A small purple vapor was wafting from his ring.

**************************

Though she was quite far from the bakery, Ladybug had perfected the art of changing back right as she dove through her open skylight. A comfortable landing on her bed, a brilliant flash of pink, and Marinette held out her hand for Tikki. The little kwami fell into her palm, a sleepy smile spreading on her lips.

“Let’s get you a cookie,” the raven haired said kindly, opening her small purse that was resting next to her pillow. Fishing one out, she watched the kwami chew for a few minutes on her bedspread.

“Tikki, I have a question.”

“Hopefully I have an answer.” Tikki smiled around full cheeks.

“Tonight… there was an akuma. Chat got hit with a spell.”

The crimson creature’s antenna drooped.

“Oh, dear. Did you have to fight him again, Marinette?”

“That’s the thing,” Marinette said, biting her lip, “nothing happened to him. He said he got dizzy, but that was it. I have the feeling he was hiding something.”

“But you used Miraculous Ladybug, right? No matter what, that should have fixed the damage that was done.”

She sighed, laying back on her pillows. “I know, but… I think there was something strange about that spell. We didn’t get to see the true extent of the akuma’s powers. It was a quick fight - quicker than normal. And when it was over he was acting weird.”

“Weird, how? Hasn’t Chat Noir always been a little strange?”

“He gave me this smile-” With a groan, Marinette sat up and brushed her hands through her messy pigtails. “Ugh, I shouldn’t be worrying over that silly cat. I have homework to finish. He said he was okay, that means he’s got it under control. He’s my partner and he would have told me if there was a problem.”

“Exactly.” Tikki nodded.

**************************

Chat Noir was not okay.

His eyes gave a tumbling swirl and he braced himself on his outstretched baton as the woman Ladybug had carried off at the beginning of the fight returned, howling apologies to her grandmother - the akuma. Seeing she was in safe hands, he took a deep steadying breath and catapulted himself to a roof.

Suddenly, his vision was washed in deep violet.

Oh.

Oh, no.

He tumbled, landing on his back painfully. A hiss escaped his lips. The dark star-studded sky of Paris winked back into view.

Teeth clenched, he panted.

At least, he’d cleared the roof - kinda.

Eyes slipping back to his ring, the purple vapor was strengthening, covering his entire finger.

A curl of fear twisted inside him, but he bravely pushed it away.

I gotta get home. Just get home and detransform. Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright.

He jumped over a street - forcing his direction east - and he tripped another landing, clattering hard on his hands and knees. Shaking his shaggy blond locks, Chat gripped the baton tightly and forced himself to his feet.

He just had to make it back. He’d get home and detransform and Plagg would figure out what was wrong.

He just had to get home.

Everything will be alright.

Jumping, claws scraping on the ledge, he pulled himself up with shaking muscles and gasped.

A tight wash of nausea hit him.

He was near his house - he knew it, but he couldn’t tell where.

Glancing up, his spinning eyes caught the familiar rounded roof of his school.

His heart seized in relief. His house was not far after that! If he just made it there, he could figure out where to go next!

He was going to make it!

Only three more blocks!

Staggering, he flung himself across another intersection - the school’s roof serving as his beacon of hope, the light to follow in the dark tunnel, a moth to a flame.

He would make it!

Throwing himself again and landing less than stellar on his side, he groaned and shakily pulled himself back to his feet.

A weak smile slipped on his lips.

He was going to reach it!

He was going to be okay!

He took the last leap - but his sight washed away to violet black as he cleared the block - his balance on the baton slipping to the left.

He was falling - his momentum too fast.

Chat Noir landed with a terrible crash - foot tangling in hanging lights and body tumbling over a small table - on a very familiar balcony.

**************************

The crash on her roof made her pen dash across the paper of her physics essay. Blue eyes wide, catching Tikki’s alarmed gaze, Marinette stood slowly, her tension pulled tightly in her stomach. She carefully took the ladder to her loft. A ripple of fear gripped her and she turned to the red kwami floating at her side.

“Tikki, should I transform?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing serious,” she said softly. “You just handled an akuma. I don’t think there’d be another attack so quickly.”

Marinette nodded, feeling her courage rise. “You’re right. I’m - I’m sure it’s just a stray cat or something. Knocking things over. Cats do that.”

Taking a deep breath, she lifted the latch and peeked over her balcony.

Her lounge chair was broken - the armrest hanging lopsided. The small round table that rested at the center of her balcony was on its side - shattered bits of her teapot scattered near one of her plants in the corner. Her string of lights were a tangled mess around a jet black boot that draped atop the overturned table.

A sharp gasp, her heart in her throat, Marinette rushed from the trapdoor and hurried to his side.

Sure enough, Chat Noir, his chest rising and falling in swift pants, his vibrant green eyes clenched shut, was sprawled with his arms outstretched on the floor of her balcony. Blond hair spread, cat ears pressed on his scalp, he looked like he was going to be sick. There was a strange purple-ish hue enveloping his right hand - seeping from his black ring.

“Chat Noir!” She cried, falling on her knees beside her partner. Untangling the lights from his leg, she wrapped her arms around his chest and back, helping him sit up slowly.

He groaned through gritted teeth.

“Chat Noir, wh-what… what are you doing here? Are you okay?”

His eyes opened - his usual slit pupils were blown wide - and he looked at her with a cross of confusion and wonder.

“Mar-Marinette? Why are you at school?”

“School?” She blinked, before shaking her head. “No, you crash on my balcony. Here, let me help- ahh!”

As she’d tried to sit him up, he tumbled to his side, slipping out of her arms to land with a fwump on her lap. His cheek on her thigh, his breathing uneven, the raven-haired girl stared straight ahead to the night sky, her mouth open, her hands raised, and the heat racing to her cheeks.

Guilt and something hotter swam inside. Her magic hadn’t cured him. She’d sensed that something was wrong after the attack, but...

Why did he lie to her?

Hands coming down to his back, her fingers moved to sweep the blond hair from the side of his face.

Her heart broke. He looked like he was in pain.

“Chat Noir, what happened to you?”

“Akuma… spell… it hit me…” he whispered against her pink pants. “Spread to my ring…”

“That explains your hand,” she said softly, glancing down at the tight fog wrapping around his fingers. “I thought Ladybug’s power fixed all damages done by akumas.”

He didn’t answer, instead his arm moved to wrap around her waist.

A tight squeal escaped her - bluebell eyes wide.

“I don’t feel good, princess,” he whimpered.

“Are you in pain? Should I call an ambulance?”

“No.” The reply was sharp - sharper than she’d ever heard Chat speak. With a grunt, his shoulders shifted underneath his leather suit and he struggled to sit up. His nose brushed her chin and she leaned back, a terrible hitch jolting her stomach. He stared her in the eye and she stared back - too stupefied to move.  

The purple cloud was growing - enveloping his forearm, his elbow, his bicep.

Neither noticed of them noticed.

“You have her eyes,” he said suddenly with a catch in his throat. He blinked rapidly as if clearing his vision, but then his nose sniffed the air.

“You have her scent, too. She smells… sweet. Like sugar.”

“Who does? ” Marinette squeaked - her heart thrumming nervously in her chest like a little bird. His face was closer now and she was frozen. His nose dipped to inhale at her throat.

“Could it be you, princess?”

“Me…?” Her voice was less than a breath.

Suddenly, his green eyes rolled, his chest fell forward, and - as she finally noticed the dark purple shadow creeping over him - he collapsed on her. Knocking her backwards, her head hit the concrete of her balcony and a shot of pain rocked through her skull.

Chat’s face, landing near her neck, was pale and still - his eyes closed and his body pinning her down. Her arms tried to push him off, but he was a dead weight on top of her.

“Chat Noir… Chat! ”

He didn’t stir.

Horror filled her as the shadow rushed from him to engulf her as well.

Head turning, she watched his eyelashes flutter behind that deep black mask and she closed her eyes tightly. Wrapping her arms protectively around her partner, she tucked his head closer. Fear swirled inside, but a resignation was taking over.

Whatever was happening, they’d face it together - as a team.

“It’ll be alright, kitty… I’m here.”

It was washing like a tide, spreading down her arms and legs.

“I am her...”

Her sight was covered deep black violet.

Chapter Text

Somewhere above her head, a pigeon cooed. There was a honk in the street from several blocks away. If she focused, she could hear the continual drip - drip - drip - of a drainage pipe on the building to the far right.

She flicked her ear away from the irritating noise.

Slowly, the world caught up, her brain rousing as if from a fog-like dream. She was lying face down on something warm and comfortable. She inhaled deeply and smelled the sweet sugar of the macarons she'd helped her father bake that afternoon.

It was such a lovely smell, always leaving the house fragrant and homey.

Her stomach growled - she was hungry.

Marinette frowned.

That wasn't right. She'd just had dinner before patrol, so why would she be hungry?

It didn't make sense.

Shifting, she groaned as her head swam.

Where was she?

Creaking her eyes open, there was a brush of raven hair, a smooth pale neck, and a familiar round face.

Eyes wide, mouth open, shock freezing her limbs, her eyes flicked over the sleeping girl.

Marinette.

Herself.

Her body.

A small noise left her throat and it sounded - wrong. Too deep. Too gravely. Blond strands flicked into her eyes and she laid there - unable to move. Her hands shook, her breath was coming in short pants, her heart thundered so loudly it was all she could hear anymore.

She wondered if this was what a panic attack felt like.

Finally, mouth still dropped in horror, she lifted herself off of - herself? and stared hard at her own face. Gaze dancing to her ears, she spied the dark budded earrings in her lobes.

Her Miraculous was still there.

Lifting a clawed hand, she saw a black ring on her finger - it was back to normal, the wafting violet cloud had vanished.

And then: realization hit like a ton of bricks.

"Oh-Oh, my God, I'm Chat Noir…" she squeaked, his voice leaving her throat. Springing off her body, she stood on shaky legs and held her clawed fingers to her face - his face.

Her tail - his tail - someone's tail flicked back and forth in agitation behind her.

"Oh, no… Oh, no. Oh, no. This is bad. This is really bad. What do I do?" The words left in a strangled mess. Lowering her arms, she took a deep breath, trying to keep rational.

"Alright, Marinette, this is a dream or something. I hit my head too hard and now I'm having a nightmare that I've turned into Chat Noir…"

Pinching her cheek, she winced.

Okay, so pain meant not dreaming, right? There had to be some explanation. Some reason. The akuma. Something about the akuma's spell had switched her into Chat Noir and now she was a boy.

A thin - very fit - boy.

She brushed a blond lock out of her eye and paced the balcony, occasionally glancing at the still body lying on the ground. Marinette stopped short as a drop of panic suddenly rushed through her - what if it wasn't Chat Noir in her body, but someone else?

Slowly, shoulders hunched forward and looking more like a prowling cat than she cared to admit, Marinette approached her sleeping self and watched the chest rise and fall steadily.

Whoever was in there was still passed out.

Good. Probably for the best.

Tikki. She needed Tikki.

Scampering to the trap door, she opened the hatch and stuck her head inside her room. No red kwami in sight. Dropping on her bed, Chat Noir's boots leaving dirty scruffs on her sheets, Marinette's enhanced eyes searched desperately.

"Tikki! Where are you? It's me!"

"...Chat Noir…?" The tiny voice called out from her desk. The crimson kwami slipped from behind the picture frame of Adrien and slowly drifted towards her, cautiously.

"No! I'm Marinette!" Chat Noir's voice cracked, not used to the panic in the vocal cords. Holding out her clawed fingers, Tikki perched in them with blue eyes impossibly wide.

"Marinette? You're Chat Noir? How?"

"I don't know! I don't know why but I'm him, Tikki! I'm in his body! I'm freaking out! What do I do? I can't be Chat Noir! I-"

The kwami slipped up to close her lips tightly.

"Marinette, take a deep breath. You need to calm down."

She inhaled through her nose slowly. The kwami backed away, motioning her to keep going.

She breathed in - and breathed out - and breathed in - and was pleasantly surprised to find her room smelled like vanilla. She'd never noticed it before, but now, armed with Chat's sense of smell, she could pick apart the small little details in it. Richness, floral, almost a spicy wooded-

"Marinette?"

Blinking, she snapped back to the kwami sheepishly.

"Sorry, his enhanced senses are very distracting."

"Now is not the time to get distracted. Where is your body?"

She pointed up with a claw. "Still up there."

"What happened?"

Marinette thought back - searching her last memories. "Chat Noir landed on the balcony - he broke my teapot." She scowled, but her expression immediately softened. "He looked ill. There was a purplish cloud coming from his ring. It looked like the same power coming from the akuma tonight."

"The akuma that shot him with the spell?"

"Yeah," she bit Chat's lip in contemplation, "do you think this has something to do with the akuma's power? It could switch the location of objects it shot."

"If that's the case, Miraculous Ladybug should have cured it."

"I know. But it didn't. And the purple smoky spell covered him and caught me, too. Knocked us both out. I woke up and-" she gestured to the leather-cladded body, "-here I am."

A hard silence fell between cat and kwami. Her tail swishing behind her, she knocked a pink pillow to the floor as her panic started to climb again.

"Tikki, do you think Chat Noir's in my body? What if it's someone else? What if I got switched with Hawk Moth or Master Fu - a huge body snatching circle-"

"Unlikely," Tikki said confidently. "It's probably Chat Noir since the spell covered both of you. However, there's only one way to find out."

Shoulders dropping, she swallowed in Chat's tightening throat and released a long breath

"You're right. I guess I should wake myself up…"

Jumping with an agility she wasn't used to, Marinette landed on the balcony on all fours. Glancing over, sure enough, her body was still there - sleeping peacefully.

If Chat Noir is in there, it won't be peaceful for long, she thought with a wince.

"Tikki," she started as she crawled to her body's side, "what should I do if I stay like this? I have to power down eventually. Then I'll know Chat Noir's identity. Or," her face turned panicked, "what if an akuma attacks? Oh, Tikki, there won't be a Ladybug to stop it!"

The kwami looked pained, her eyes flicking from Marinette's desperate green eyes to the sleeping form on the ground.

"I think you have to reveal who you are."

Marinette clapped Chat's hands to his face - horrified.

"But-But you said-"

"I know what I said, Marinette, but these are circumstances out of our control. We have to have a Ladybug to purify the akuma. It's more important than keeping your identity a secret."

"Tikki… but-but…"

"I'm sorry that you have to find out each other's identity this way. This has never happened before."

The horror swirled higher. "So, it might be permanent?"

The kwami looked thoughtful for a moment. "No, I don't think it's permanent. Plagg might have more insight on what is happening. The spell effected his Miraculous after all."

Marinette's hands dropped, confused. "Plagg?"

"Chat Noir's kwami," she said briskly, turning her blue eyes on the sleeping girl. "I'll go hide until you're ready to tell him who you are. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of panic. It's probably better if we do this in small steps."

Marinette closed her eyes to steady herself. "Small steps..."

Watching the red zip back into the room, she took a long breath - her sensitive nose catching her body's faint sugar macaron smell. It was bizarre, and not a little bit unnerving, to see herself asleep on the ground. It wasn't like looking in a mirror, but more like seeing herself in a video. Turning her head to the left, she leaned in studiously. She had a longer nose than she realized.

Also, her hair might benefit from a new style.

Reaching out with a clawed finger, apprehension building in her chest, she nudged her cheek.

Eyes scrunching, a curve dipping on her lips, her body groaned before settling back down.

"Um- hey…" Marinette prodded the cheek again. "Hey, whoever you are, wake up, please…"

"Five more minutes, Plagg," her voice grumbled. A frown appeared between her eyebrows. Bluebell eyes creaking open, she stared ahead with confusion until she glanced to the left-

"Jesus!" She shrieked, leaping up and scuttling to the wall. Back pressed against the brick, eyes blown wide, mouth gasping, the blue gaze flicked frantically from the tangled lights, to the upturned table, and back to Marinette, who was giving herself a sheepish smile.

At least she hoped it was.

Hesitantly, she waved Chat's fingers in the air.

"Hi."

******************************

He was looking at himself.

He was sitting there.

But he was over here against the wall.

He was over there, but he was over here.

Glancing down, he saw pink pants, a light cream shirt, and a dark gray jacket. Raven fringe brushed into his eyes as he glanced down at small, shaking hands. He studied the palms - his mind unable to comprehend.

"So, here's the thing," his voice said to him and he snapped his neck up to stare at himself. Chat Noir was sitting cross-legged, mouth set in a firm line. "It looks like we have a bit of a situation."

"Sit-situation?!" he choked out, Marinette's sweet voice coming from his throat. "Why am I there, but here?"

"A-ah, well, see - that's the situation," his body said, the words stumbling a bit. "I'm Marinette?"

Thoughts washed away. He sagged against the wall.

Hard disbelief gripped him.

His hands covered his face.

"This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can't be-"

"It is," his body called softly, shy green eyes tossing down to stare at the balcony floor. "I'm Marinette and I'm in your body."

He stared at himself - his mind frozen. The tail tossed worriedly, the black ears turned to catch something to the left, and he watched as she shook her head rapidly in a very animalistic fashion.

Finally, with Marinette's sweet voice, he whispered, "How?"

"I can only guess it was the purple smoke that was coming from your Miraculous," he - she explained, holding up a hand to showcase the black ring. It was back to normal - the green paw vibrant as ever.

"You passed out and it got me as well."

A drop of horror and humiliation tossed inside him. He felt his cheeks beginning to burn with a terrible blush.

"Marinette," he breathed, heart clenching tightly, "this is all my fault. If I had just told Ladybug about the spell, this would never have happened. I should have let her know that her cure didn't work. I didn't know what to do. I'm… I'm so sorry."

She crossed the floor with a catlike leap and sat next to him.

"Chat Noir," she started, low and serious. "there's an even bigger issue."

"What's that?" Marinette's tone was squeaky as it left him.

"I… I'm not sure how long we will be like this. A day? A week? A month-"

"I have to show you who I am," he answered for her, a rock of dread thudding in his stomach. "I have to show you my real identity."

"Not right now," she said quickly, suddenly sitting straight with an air of confidence sparkling on her face - his face.

The expression was so perfectly Marinette, he almost smiled.

Almost.

"I might have a few ideas on how to fix this."

His eyes widened. "Ideas? Like what?"

She suddenly blushed - the paleness of his cheeks reddening underneath the black mask. Confidence shaking a bit, she said, "You fell on top of me when the spell spread. What if-" she stared him straight in the eye, but she was faltered, "-we laid down in that position. You… on top of me…"

Mouth dropping open, face flushing brightly, the stone in Chat's stomach suddenly sprouted into hundreds of nerves - wiggling inside like snakes.

"I-I - you and me - laying on each other like-" He pressed his small hands together flat.

Green gaze slipped away nervously, Marinette raised her finger to start playing with the golden bell at her throat. "I mean, it's just a theory since that was the position we were in when it happened and maybe it'll trigger the spell to switch us back. Anyway, it was a stupid thought-"

"Let's do it." He nodded, lifting a hand to rest it on her shoulder - his shoulder? God, this was confusing. "Let's put your theory to the test. If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else."

The thin smile that spread on her mouth made him feel calmer.

******************************

This was a bad idea.

This was a really bad idea.

Marinette, in Chat Noir's body, lying on the ground.

Chat Noir, in her body, lying on top of her.

Chat rested his head on her chest, small arms wrapping loosely around her thin waist. Legs lying against her leather-cladded thigh, Marinette pressed her lips together as time slowly ticked onward.

This was embarrassing.

And uncomfortable.

And humiliating.

The only benefit to the position was the sweet familiar smell of macarons, which had come rushing back to her sensitive nose as soon as her body got close to her. Inhaling deeply, she tapped her clawed fingers lightly on Chat's back.

The night sky brushed a warm wind and, somewhere above their heads, another pigeon cooed loudly.

"Nothing's happening," she said flatly - Chat's voice sounding bored as it left her throat.

"Maybe give it another few minutes?" he suggested.

"It's been ten. I don't think this is working."

"Let's make it fifteen."

"No, let's try something else."

"Please? My chest is really comfortable."

"Oh, my god! Chat Noir, get off of me!" She growled and he let out a tinkling laugh. Sitting up, he was still chuckling happily and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm glad at least one of us is enjoying this."

"Deflecting fear with humor - it's what I do, princess." His grin slipped. "Have any more ideas?"

She closed her eyes for bravery and lifted a clawed hand to fiddle with the bell again. "I have only one more - and it's even worse…"

Chat quirked an eyebrow. "Worse? What - like running into each other at full speed?"

"U-um…" the nervousness sounded weird coming from Chat's lips, "I remember there was this one akuma a while back. Dark Cupid… he put you under a spell. You were attacking Ladybug."

Chat Noir's mouth dropped as comprehension kicked in. All humor drained from his face.

"...Ladybug - uhh - she kissed you and..."

"Are-are you suggesting…?"

They were both blushing, both stammering, both avoiding each other's eyes. Curling Chat's long limbs, she wrapped her arms around the knees, making herself as small as possible.

"I can't think of anything else. Ladybug broke the spell on you with a kiss. Maybe it'll break if we..."

Thick hard silence shimmered in the humiliation as both human and hero glanced at each other and swiftly looked away.

"You're right, Marinette," Chat suddenly announced. "Ladybug broke the spell. It could do the same thing."

"Are you sure?" The costumed ears were flattening on her head with nerves. "This is going to be weird. We are essentially kissing ourselves."

"I think it's worth a shot." Chat Noir's lips curled into a roguish smirk that didn't belong on her face. "If it works, we won't be kissing ourselves anymore, purr-incess."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Alright, tomcat, calm down. This is just going to be a little peck, okay?"

Despite what she said, Marinette's heart was in her throat and her stomach was curled in knots. Unwrapped her arms from her knees, she leaned closer to him with her eyes shut tight.

There were a few palpable seconds before a soft pressure drifted on her lips - gentle and light. Thoughts rushed, her hands lifted anxiously, and she felt Chat Noir's mouth press a little deeper on hers. She waited, eyes opening slightly.

His were open, too - blue irises flicking worriedly at everything else but her.

Nothing.

She was the one who broke the kiss. Leaning back swiftly, she exhaled and put her face in her hands.

Her sharp hearing caught Chat Noir's quiet disappointed groan.

"It didn't work," he sighed.

"What are we going to do?" she asked, deep voice breaking with her desperation. Hiding in her gloved hands, she felt fingers touch her wrist and she gasped. He pulled her hand down and clasped his small fingers around hers.

They sat together - holding hands - the late night mourning their predicament with silence.

Glancing at him, he had the same expression on his face.

Defeat.

Chapter Text

“I see you still have those pictures everywhere.” Marinette’s voice chimed in Chat’s teasing tone.

Climbing down her ladder, he walked to the one in the frame at her desk and smirked while she sat on her pink chaise and cross her arms, unamused; the belt tail flicked agitatedly behind her.

“I like fashion, Chat Noir. And he happens to be the son of a famous fashion designer.”

“Gabriel Agreste has other models - so why are there only pictures of him? ” A strangely proud grin spread on his lips. “Do you like him or something, purr-incess?”

“Bah-Tah-I-Like-No!”

The tangle of words that left her was short and hilarious. Watching his body’s face blush underneath the mask, he wondered how she’d react once she realized her schoolmate was a superhero all along.

Proper Adrien Agreste is the famous Chat Noir - she’d probably faint at how awesome he really was.

“He’s my friend. I have pictures of all my friends.”

He opened a drawer on the left and she squawked - leaping with superhero speed to slam it shut. The force rattled her computer awake and Chat Noir saw the background on the screen shimmer into view. Several cropped cuts of past photoshoots were collaged in a swirl of pink hearts and stars. They were all of him - happily smiling at the camera in an array of outfits and poses.

Green pupils tight with panic, Marinette hurried to cover the large screen with her thin body.

Draped in a skintight leather suit, she didn’t cover much.

His heart thundered in his chest and the joking smile wiped from his mouth. As her face fell with embarrassing defeat, a touch of pity washed through him. He watched the blond hair drift into her green eyes, her teeth slowly bite down on her lower lip.

Marinette - lovely, kind Marinette - most certainly had a crush on him.

Sure, he was used to having his picture everywhere - and he even knew about the secret stash of photos she had under her bed - but… this level of decoration and care rivaled her Jagged Stone album cover. She had a masterful eye with lighting and colors. Her talent was showcased with every delicate layer on the screen.

“Do you have something like this for all your friends, too?” He gestured to the computer.

A sharp exhale, Marinette’s arms dropped and her hand played with the bell once more. “S-So, I have a crush on him. What of it? It’s not like it matters or anything.” Her voice was low and hard, the green eyes dipping to the carpet at their feet.

“Why wouldn’t it matter?” he asked, a curiosity sneaking into his pity. “Your feelings are nothing to be ashamed of. Aren’t you good friends with him?”

“Yeah, we are, I guess.” She admitted, cat ears drooping. Tail dragging, Marinette headed back to sit down on the chaise and put her face in her hands.

Chat cleared his throat, tapped his small fingers on the desk, and made a decision.

“Alright, Marinette, since we haven’t switched back, I guess we’ll just have to deal with this until we can figure out how to fix it.”

Her eyes peered from over her clawed fingers. “You mean live each other’s lives?”

He shrugged. “What else can we do? If you promise to keep my identity a secret, I’ll help you become the best Chat Noir ever. I’ll even teach you how to pun properly for added effect.”

He shot her a wink and was delighted to see her lips curl lightly.

“What about Ladybug?”

An idea flicked through his mind and a thrill of excitement rushed through him.

“Hey, maybe Ladybug is still awake. We could use her help in figuring this out. She was with me when the akuma’s spell hit. She’s really smart and could have some ideas on how to switch us back.”

Marinette’s mouth popped open, but Chat missed it - the prospect of seeing his Lady making him giddy. Hurrying forward, he reached around her waist to unhook the baton at her back. Flicking it open with a finger, he dialed his partner and waited.

Nothing, but voicemail - his excitement deflated. She was probably asleep anyway. Closing up the baton, he handed it back to Marinette.

“We’ll try to contact her tomorrow before school.”

“Chat Noir-”

“I’m sure she’ll know what to do.”

“Chat Noir-”

“There’s nothing to worry about, princess. I’ll make sure to-”

Marinette stood, towering over him and effectively cutting off his verbal thought process. Green gaze dark and weighty, she grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look up at her. He stared into his own eyes, Marinette’s surprised expression reflecting from them.

“I need you to say something for me,” she said tensely.

“Say… something? ” His stomach hitched at her seriousness. The expression was so familiar, even with his own face shining back at him.

There was a whisper of red in his peripheral vision, but he was focused on her, every word and expression giving an answer to a question he didn’t even know he was asking.

“Chat Noir,” Marinette calmly took a deep breath before continuing, “you are my best friend. You always will be. No matter what happens tonight or in the future, I will always have your back. Whether it be as Chat Noir or-or…” She was getting scared. He could see it clear as day. “... Or as someone else.”

“Marinette, what are you saying?” He was whispering, the sweet voice breaking slightly. His heart tight in his throat, his hands raised to cover his mouth.

Realization was there - he didn’t need her to say the next sentence.

“Chat Noir… say, 'Spots On'.”

Thought left, the world blurred, and all he saw was concerned green eyes. Black leather arms catching him as his knees buckled, his vision was swimming with pink, green, and black. Kneeling, he was supported against her chest, forehead tucked on the crook of her neck. He could feel her pulse beating hard and fast. Clawed hands held him close as he tried to wrap his mind around it.

Marinette was Ladybug - Marinette was Ladybug - Marinette was Ladybug - the thought rolled through him hard and fast.

“Chat Noir, I need you to breathe, okay? Breathe for me.”

She was his Lady. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Baker’s daughter with talents, kindness, and beauty all wrapped into a perfect package. His small arms sprang around her thin shoulders, the shock flooding his stomach with warmth.

He hugged her tightly. His Lady.

“H-how…” The word slipped out of his lips.

“How?” His low voice purred into his ear.

“How did I not know…?”

“How are you supposed to know, Chat Noir? I mean you’ve only seen me as Marinette a few times during akuma attacks. It’s not like I’m around much for you to figure it out.”

He let her go, staring into her face.

Inside his body - his skin - was his heart, his partner, and the love of his life.

Also inside was his classmate, his friend, and the kindest person he’d ever met outside the mask.

“Marinette, you need to know who I am,” he said softly.

“Do I know you outside the mask?” she asked, her forehead wrinkling with worry.

A furtive smile spread on his lips.

“Just say ‘Claws In’ and try not to scream.”

Marinette - Ladybug - teeth once more biting down nervously on her lip, stared him straight in the eye and took a deep, steadying breath.

“Claws In.”

***********************************

“Are you insane?! What were you thinking?!”

“Plagg, this had to happen. They’ve switched bodies.”

“Tikki, they’re not ready to know each other’s identities yet!”

“Obviously, considering Marinette just fainted.”

“Why weren’t we supposed to know our identities?”

“Hawk Moth is still a threat, you idiot!”

“Don’t get upset with Adrien! You have any better ideas?”

“Yeah, Plagg! This is kinda your fault!”

“My fault! How is this my fault?”

“That akuma spell was sucked into your Miraculous!”

“Oh sure, blame the cat! Let’s just brush aside the fact Tikki’s powers didn’t fix it!”

Marinette groaned, the voices above her head not making sense.

“She’s coming to!”

“Marinette?”

A small hand brushed against her cheek, fingernails sweeping around her left ear in a light scratch.

Oh… oh, that felt nice...

“Marinette? Are you okay?”

That was Tikki. But wait - was Tikki scratching her?

The fingers circled back before running down the nape of her neck. How did she not realize how wonderful that felt? Chill bumps rose on her skin as the nails hit a spot. She felt her body seize for a moment before completely unraveling, rolls of warmth spreading from her head to her toes. Cheek resting on something warm, she nuzzled into fabric and smiled.

A tightness she never knew she had uncoiled into a deep vibration in her chest.

“Is… Marinette purring?”

Green eyes snapping open, sitting up sharply, she caught the surprised and amused blue eyes of her own face.

She’d been lying in her lap - his lap.

But wait. He was actually...

Backing away swiftly, she saw the two floating kwami and her hands rose to cover her mouth. The coldness of a silver ring pressed against her chin, she spied long thin legs in light blue jeans and brilliant orange converses stretched out in front of her. The other occupants were quiet in the room as she slowly stood, walking as one condemned to the long mirror near the wall.

Blond sweeping hair, wide sea-green eyes, tall and beautiful.

Adrien Agreste.

She was staring at Adrien Agreste.  

She was Adrien Agreste.

And that meant:

“Hi,” Adrien said, lifting his small hand in a wave.

***********************************

Settled on her chaise, they studied each other - cheeks blushing and thoughts flashing. So many coincidences, so many moments that they were uncountable.Tikki, settled on the blond locks on top of Marinette’s head, blinked down at them pityingly.

“So, you are Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir,” Marinette said with a calmness that didn’t match the flustered expression.

Adrien looked at her with a gentle smile, his arms crossed over his chest.

“And you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, are the love of my life.”

He never knew his face could get so red.

“Don’t… Don’t say that…” she whispered, a scowl spreading, but her cheeks still rosey. “I can’t concentrate on that right now.”

“Why not?” He leaned closer, a mischievous glint appearing in his blue eye. “I think I’d like to try that kiss again-”

She pushed on his shoulder, but the tiniest of smiles curled on her lip. “Chat-Adrien - whoever you are - this is serious. We have to figure out what to do.”

“Just what I’d expect from my Lady.” He winked. “Business before pleasure.”

Perched on his shoulder, Plagg rolled his eyes.

“She’s right, lover boy. This is a really big problem. Especially if an akuma appears.”

“I don’t know how to use your Miraculous,” Marinette confessed, holding up her hand to glance worriedly at the silver ring. “I could barely control your heightened senses. How are you not distracted by everything?”

“Because you’re the only thing I concentrate on,” he answered immediately.

Her eyes warmed and her smile grew a little wider.

Inwardly, he fist pumped. Nice one, Agreste!

“We have school tomorrow. We have to pretend to be each other.”

“Alya and Nino - they’ll be a problem.”

“I haven’t finished my physics essay yet,” she admitted.

He snorted a laugh. “I have.”

Tikki piped in. “Adrien, I have to ask… what if we pierced your body’s ears? That way we wouldn’t have to worry about the issue with the Miraculouses. Marinette could still technically be Ladybug.”

He gave the red kwami a kind smile. “Sorry, Miss Tikki. I’m a model, remember? My dad would kill me if I pierced anything.”

“So, we’re stuck?” Marinette sighed.

“Looks like it.”

The silence fell between them, hard and stretched. Swallowing with a touch of nerves wiggling in his stomach, Adrien stole a glance at her. The green eyes were flicking with racing thoughts.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

She caught his eye and nodded.

“Glaciator…”

Mouth popping open, fingers immediately coming together to twist nervously, her gaze brushed up to the ceiling - or more accurately - the balcony.

“You said you got your heart broken that night,” he added softly. “What happened?”

Taking a deep breath, he watched his body sigh softly. “After Chat Noir and I - I mean, you and I saved the civilians on the bus, I was supposed to meet Alya, Nino, Ivan, and Mylene to track down Andre, the ice cream man. Nino had told Alya that-that…” she closed her eyes, “...that you were going to be there, but then he got a text that your dad said you couldn’t go.”

“I would have liked to eat ice cream with you,” he confessed. “I didn’t know you’d be there.”

“Instead, you were setting up a surprise for Ladybug.” She was smiling now.

He chuckled. “Yeah, and I got heartbroken because she didn’t show up.”

“Because I was waiting to eat ice cream with you.”

“And then I took you, Marinette, to the surprise.”

“And I loved it - truly I did.”

They were grinning foolishly at each other.

“So, you knew my feelings, Marinette. I confessed as much that night.”

“But I liked Adrien.”

He sat back with mock surprise alighting his blue eyes. “Oh, My Lady - do you have a crush on me?”

Scowling, she snatched a pink pillow from her chaise and whipped him over the head.

“Ow - hey! This is your body you’re manhandling!” he laughed, small arms covering his pigtails.

With a small chuckle, she wrapped her arms around the pillow and her smile was suddenly whisked away.

“Adrien… I think I need time to process. From being switched into your body and you turning out to be my partner and one of my friends from school... it’s just - it’s been a long night. I have to take it all in carefully. Our first priority should be surviving and breaking this spell. Once that’s done, we can talk about everything that’s happened between us.”

Disappointment swirled in his stomach, but he nodded - covering it with a complacent smile.

“I agree. Trust me, I’d rather have that particular discussion when I’m me. We’ll keep things professional until we can figure this out.”

Flicking a blond hair out of her eye, she looked relieved.

“But that won’t stop me from trying to make you purr.”

Instantly, the flustered look was back.

Chapter Text

It was almost dawn by the time she decided to transform to Chat Noir and head to Adrien’s house. An unsettling feeling enveloped her.

This wasn’t her room anymore. These weren’t her parents.

She would be living life as Adrien Agreste - male perfection incarnate.

Fighting crime as Chat Noir - snarky, flirty, pun-slinging catboy.

As the dark leather suit spread on her body, her senses sharpened and she took one last deep breath of the sweet vanilla of her room.

“It’s a good smell, isn’t it?” Adrien yawned with a smile. “I’ve always liked the way your home smelled when I was Chat Noir.”

“I’ll miss it,” she admitted. “I didn’t realize it smelled like this until I - well, until I turned into you.”

“It’s why you’ve always had my full attention, sugarcube.”

She made a face. “Do you know how weird it is to hear you say that stuff with my voice?”

“Better start taking notes if you’re going to be me.”

“I still can’t believe that kind, modest Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir of all people.”

He shrugged. “We both have an alter-ego. I would have never known shy, sweet Marinette could throw me halfway across Paris.”

At that, she rolled her eyes and jumped to the loft and out the trap door in two quick leaps. He followed her out a few seconds later, moving to stand by her side on the balcony. It was still trashed from his crash landing earlier that night - the table knocked over and her lights puddling in a tangled mess on the ground.

“I’ll - uh - clean this up once you leave.” His voice held a taste of bashfulness. “And get you a new teapot.”

“I’m glad you’re okay, Chat Noir.” She turned to him, a genuine smile brightening her face. “I was really worried about you.”

“Marinette - I...” There was something in his eyes - something important, but he shook his head with a quick sigh. “Never mind.”

The Paris skyline was lightening with the rising sun. Touching the world in a hue of navy, orange, and purple.

The first day switched.

The first day in each other’s lives.

“Let’s try to meet before school. We need to figure out a game plan,” Marinette said.

“I could just say I’m dating you,” Adrien commented - and snorted at her horrified expression. “Or not.”

“D-Dating? Dating like me and you? No! That would cause chaos! Ayla would want details - so many details! You’re not prepared! I’m not prepared! There will be an onslaught of questions! Also, I’m just not - I don’t think - I mean-”

“Alright, alright, no dating,” he held up his hands in defeat, “can’t blame a guy for trying.”

She looked away awkwardly, but the blush was creeping back up on her cheeks. “Adrien, we’re going to be each other. That means acting like how we usually do. No flirty comments, no changing relationships, and no puns.”

His mouth popped open in indignation. “No puns!? ”

“Think about it: since when do I pun? You have to act like me!”

He scowled. “Well, you have to be nice to Chloe!”

“Fine. I can handle her actually being nice to me for once. Have fun when she ruins your day for no other reason except you exist.”

“She’s not that bad!”

“Heh, just wait and see!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

Both arms crossed, both turned away. Marinette’s tail lashed in irritation, rhythmically knocked against the metal railing.

“Steer clear of Father.”

“Don’t snoop in my room.”

“Follow the schedule Nathalie gives you.”

“Finish my physics essay.”

A touch of amusement drifted on his face. He reached over and grabbed her clawed fingers into his small hands. She turned to him, her green eyes still frosted with annoyance.

“I promise I’ll do my best, My Lady. We have each other’s backs - always, right?”

A small warmth spread and she sighed with a nod.

“Always.”

*************************************

He felt like he’d just put his head on the pillow before a loud alarm rang above his head. Sitting up wildly, loose raven hair flopping over his shoulders, his mind took a full minute to figure out where he was exactly.

It was pink - way too pink. Pictures of himself everywhere.

Glancing at his small hands, he immediately threw his face into the pillow and groaned.

“It wasn’t a dream,” he muffled.

“Nope,” Tikki yawned next to him. “You’re Marinette.”

“And Marinette is my Lady.”

“And she is at your house, pretending to be you.”

Sitting up, Adrien blew the black fringe out of his eyes and sighed.

“I had so many plans of revealing myself to Ladybug, Tikki. Plans which we’re trapped together and I have to transform, or I catch her as she’s falling and turn back into Adrien, or, while I’m kissing her as Chat Noir, she backs away and suddenly, she’s been kissing Adrien all along and then I follow up with a smooth: 'What is it, my Lady? Cat got your tongue?’.”

“Those are quite the fantasies,” Tikki chimed with a small smile.

“But the way it happened… it’s just… I don’t know.”

“Made things difficult?”

He nodded slowly. “It’s as if Ladybug is even more cautious with me now. She used to push me away as Chat Noir, but now that she knows all of me, I’m worried she’s going to start pushing Adrien away as well.”

“How do you feel about Marinette being Ladybug, Adrien?” Tikki asked gently.

Sitting back against the headboard, he crossed his arms thoughtfully. His clever classmate and his beautiful Lady: both courageous, strong, kind-hearted, humorous, too cute for their own good. It all matched together.

“I was blind to not see it,” he replied honestly, a bashful nervousness creeping inside. Reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, his fingers touched the soft locks and he smiled. “I thought Marinette was cute, but Ladybug was all I could focus on. I just didn’t see the full picture put together…”

“And now that you have the full picture?”

Heat raced to his cheeks. “She’s even more wonderful than before.”

“That is a great answer.” Tikki grinned.

The smile vanished from his lips. “But how does she feel about me?”

The kwami floated to gently look him in the eye. “I think last night was stressful for both of you. Marinette is very timid when it comes to her feelings, but, as you can clearly see all around you, she adores you. Give her time, give her space - she’ll calm down.”

“But can she still feel the same about Adrien knowing I’m Chat Noir as well? What if this changes everything?”

The kwami tilted her head kindly. “Oh, I think she’ll be fine with it.”

“Marinette? ” A voice called from the trap door. Her mother. “Are you up? Come down for breakfast! ”

“Might as well get this over with,” he sighed, standing up from the covers - before a brilliant blush suddenly spread on his cheeks.

“Um… Tikki?”

“Hmm?” she blinked curiously.

“Where's the bathroom?”

*************************************

“You need to get up, kid. That Nathalie lady is not a nice person when she has to wake Adrien up three times in a row.”

Marinette groaned, her left arm tingling from sleeping awkwardly on the large soft bed. She’d collapsed as soon as she awkwardly climbed into the window and untransformed. White jacket wrinkled, orange converses still on her feet, she lifted her head, blond hair spilling messily into her eyes.

Yawning, she glanced at the floating black cat - who somehow managed to look annoyed and amused at the same time.  

“I wasn’t dreaming, huh?” Adrien’s voice grumbled from her throat, still deep from sleep.

“Unfortunately, no.”

Rolling on her back, she sighed softly.

She was Adrien now. Adrien Agreste. The boy she’d secretly loved for over a year.

And she was also Chat Noir: her self-sacrificing, jokester, crime fighting partner.

What a twist of fate this was.

There was a knock on the door and Marinette bolted upright.

“Adrien, you’re going to be late!”

“I’m up! I’m up!” She called frantically, leaping off the bed and hurrying to a huge walk-in closet.

Feet faltering, mouth falling open, hands clapping to her cheeks, she stared in awe at the line of beautiful suits that spanned from the doorway down the entire left-hand side. Ties of all shapes and sizes hung in a large illuminated cabinet to the far right. Shoes - so many wonderful shoes - were spotlighted across the back wall.

She took a step inside and it was like walking into a wonderful dreamland. Opening a drawer on her right, a small squeak of delight escaped her as she spied rows upon rows of intricately woven cufflinks and, below that, elaborately printed socks.

Turning, she ran her fingers over the soft fibers of a mint green, checkered jacket.

Oh, this would go perfect with his eyes!

“Would it be normal for me to wear one of these to school, Plagg?” she asked breathlessly over her shoulder.

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” the kwami shrugged, pulling open a mini-fridge near the huge television and yanking out a large wheel of cheese.

Stars of excitement practically glimmering from her, Marinette carefully plucked the jacket off the hanger and headed back to the large bed. She stripped off the white over-shirt, blue jeans, and, as the pants slipped down her hips, she suddenly froze with a small “eep”.

There was a bulge there...

Oh... right…

This was a thing...

Heart racing in an unnatural rhythm in her ears, her throat tightening, her large hands hovered somewhere between her waist and hips and her gaze slipped down to spy striped boxers and thin long legs.

Her face flushed, her shoulders scrunched. Her mind instantly took off with panicked thoughts.

I’m Adrien. I’m Adrien and I’ve got to be him. I’m a boy now and not a girl. And he’s me and we should have discussed this! Why didn’t we discuss this?! How do I handle this thing?!

Horror rushed in and she forced herself in breathe as her head began to swim.

Inhale - exhale - inhale - exhale - I have a penis.

Another knock at the bedroom door made her scream and cover her chest with her hands.

“Adrien! The car is waiting! Let’s go!”

“Ah-! I, uh, yes! Be right out!” Her voice squawked from his deep throat.

Green eyes flicking to the stylish jacket, she let out a small resigned sigh and went back into the closet to search for the perfect matching pair of pants. If she had to be a handsome boy - then Marinette would make sure she was the best-dressed handsomest boy ever.

An urge hit her as she opened a drawer-

And she didn’t have to pee yet.

She didn’t have to pee.

Mind over body. Simple mind over-

Crap...

She had to pee...

*************************************

It’d been terribly awkward and he was fairly certain all of his available blood was in his cheeks, but he’d closed his eyes in the bathroom - and while changing clothes - and kind of just avoided the mirror in general.

The worst part had been the bra.

Tikki actually had to show him how to put it on while his eyes never left the pink ceiling of Marinette’s room.

Thank God for Tikki. She was incredibly helpful, giving him encouragement and tips. He never knew Ladybug’s kwami was so kind-hearted. He’d just assumed hers was like Plagg - who was the opposite of helpful most of the time.

Marinette was dealing with that right now… Adrien could only guess how Marinette’s morning was going.

Honestly, being a girl wasn’t too bad. Of course, he hadn’t attempted a shower yet. He would cross that bridge only if it was absolutely necessary… and even then, maybe not. His cheeks flushed brighter as he packed his hastily written physics essay and zipped the pink dotted backpack closed.

That was a conversation he was dreading.

However, amidst all the uncertainty and humiliation, there was one thing Adrien was completely certain of: He loved the Dupains.

Coming down the stairs, his pathetically crooked attempts at Marinette’s signature pigtails did not go unnoticed by Sabine. The lovely woman instantly clicked her tongue and motioned for him to turn around. Gently scooping the black locks in her gentle fingers, if he had been Adrien, he would have had to stifle his purr at her wonderful motherly caresses on his scalp.

It sent a warm shiver down his spine, his nervousness soothing.

“Did you stay up late, sweetheart?” she cooed at him.

“I-I, yeah, physics essay.”

“Oh, physics.” Tom Dupain winked from the kitchen. “That’s what's-his-face’s favorite subject, right? Maybe we can have him over to tutor you.”

“Now, Tom, no need to tease her,” Sabine scolded gently, running her hands through another section of his hair. “But really, Marinette, it’d be nice to see that young man again. I saw his fragrance commercial the other day and he just looks so thin. It makes me worried he’s overworked and not eating enough.”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Adrien said sheepishly, feeling the last red band tie off in his hair.

Turning around, his mouth fell open.

A pile of eggs, crispy bacon, flaky croissants, and a pot of steaming jasmine tea twinkled in the golden morning on the kitchen table. The smell of the luscious spread, hitting him all at once, made his stomach curl tight with hunger.

When was the last time he’d had breakfast without the nutritional value meticulously counted out for him?

Better yet - when was the last time he’d had bacon?

“Sweetheart - you’re drooling,” Sabine said, reaching to swipe his chin gently with her sleeve. Her kind features brushed with concern and she caught Tom’s eye.

Marinette’s father frowned, setting glasses of juice next to the plates. “Go ahead and dig in, honey. If you want, I’ll have a big lunch waiting for you when you come home.”  

“I-yes! Yes, please!” He cried, practically skipping over to the table.

*************************************

Marinette came down the stairs proudly. Blond hair slicked back, dark designer jeans, she straightened the collar of the green jacket and grinned.

She looked good.

She knew she looked good.

The woman - Nathalie, she remembered - almost dropped the electronic pad in her arms, her stoic face falling in wide astonishment.

“I always thought Kenzo’s jacket cut looked best when matched with Bacchanal collared shirts,” she said, stepping on the landing and giving a quick twirl in her sharp leather shoes. “It’s a shame that project they were working on last season fell through. I’d have loved to see Kenzo’s unique patterns combined with-”

She stopped, finally catching the secretary’s flabbergasted expression.

Crap.

This wasn’t normal.

“I-I mean, sorry I’m late, Nathalie. I’m off to school.”

The woman didn’t utter a word as Marinette ducked her head and rushed out the front door. Spying Adrien’s large bodyguard waiting with the car idled, she practically sprinted to the open car door - her cheeks flaming.

“You said it’d be okay if I wore this, Plagg!” She hissed at her pocket as soon as the door shut.

The kwami poked his head out of the green jacket with a bemused look.

“What do I know? I could care less!”

“Adrien is going to kill me when he sees me!”

“That’s your problem.”

“You are not very helpful, are you?”

“Whatever gave you the idea I’d be helpful?”

Scowling, nervousness blossoming in her stomach, Marinette pulled out Adrien’s phone from her jacket pocket as the driver gently accelerated out into the busy street.

Turning it on, she scowled darkly at the password.

That’s right. Adrien had one of those high-tech fancy phones.

She huffed and tucked the useless object back in her pocket.

She couldn’t even distract herself from her misery with technology.

This blows.

Chapter Text

The pigeons cooed, the wind was pleasant, and Adrien was incredibly happy - happier than he’d been in a while. School bag bouncing cheerfully on his small shoulders, he waited at the crosswalk and inhaled the lovely spring morning.

Bacon was amazing.

“You seem cheerful for your first day as Marinette.”

He grinned down at the small purse. “How could I not be, Tikki? Her parents are wonderful. I can see why Marinette is the way she is. They are so...” He snapped his fingers.

What was the word he was looking for?

“Loving?” Tikki suggested.

“Yeah,” he agreed, his full stomach twisting a bit. “Yeah, that’s the one...”

Hurrying across the street with the silly smile still plastered on his face, he caught sight of Nino’s red cap and crossed the front of the school to meet him.

“Hey, bro!” he greeted with a soft punch on his best friend’s arm.

Nino’s topaz eyes flicked over to him and he shot Adrien a confused look.

“Marinette?”

Oh, crap!

“I-I mean, where’s Alya?” Adrien asked, a strangled giggle escaping his lips.

“She’s not here yet.” The confusion was morphing into a worried look behind his glasses. “Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah, to-totally! Absolutely, hundred percent just me…”

“Just you?”

“Just me - being here - waiting…” Oh, my God, Adrien! Stop talking!

Nino’s face was changing to amusement. “Right, well, Alya should be here soon. Got something you need to talk to her about?”

“Just besties wanting to hang with the besties because that’s what we do. We hang out - me and Alya! The bestest!” He gave Nino an awkward finger gun shot and backed away - into something - or, more accurately, someone.

"Excuse me, someone forgot to watch where they put the garbage this morning.” The familiar voice of Chloe drifted in his ears. Turning, he remembered his little discussion with Marinette from last night.

You’ll see, Marinette. She can be kind if you’re kind to her first.

“Yeah, sorry about that, Chloe. I didn’t see you,” he said with a warm smile drifting on his lips.

Nino’s eyes went wide and he crossed his arms, watching with interest.

“I didn’t know garbage could speak, Sabrina!” the blonde laughed loudly over her shoulder.

The petite redhead peaked around Chloe carrying both their backpacks, a thin smile spreading on her lips.

“Heh, garbage,” she repeated.

“You-you look nice today…” he tried again.

“Naturally. Compared to you, I’m a goddess,” Chloe crowed, flicking her blonde ponytail with a hand.

A gray car suddenly pulled up - distracting all four of them.

“Ah! Out of my way! Adrikin’s here!” Chloe trumpeted, hitting his shoulder hard as she rushed past. Nino steadied him with a quick hand - his eyes flicking from Chloe’s back to Adrien’s face in quick succession.

“What’s up with you, Marinette?”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Since when are you complimenting Chloe?”

He gave Nino a pained smile. “Sometimes, I try to be nice.”

“Yeah, but she isn’t nice.”

The car door opened.

And Adrien’s mouth popped open.

Blond hair slicked back, sharp leather shoes, green checkered cut jacket, and dark jeans - his body looked like it just came off the runway and was headed straight to the after-party.

Horror, embarrassment, and panic waved like an oncoming tide as he stared at himself.

What was Marinette thinking!?

A thin spread of nervousness was on her face as she glanced around and caught his gaze. Fingers lifting timidly in a wave, she was suddenly engulfed by yellow hair. 

“Adrikins! You look like perfection! Are you going for a new style? Green is so you! ”

“Chloe?” - The disgust was prominent on Marinette’s face. She was frozen for a moment before wiggling herself out of the blonde’s arms and ducking around her. Adrien took this opportunity and ran forward, grabbing the edge of Marinette’s ridiculous jacket. Swiftly pulling her away from the street, her, “morning, Nino,” chimed behind his head.

“Hi - dude…” His confused friend called back.

Adrien dragged her up the stairs, through the doors of the school, and underneath the stairs.

Letting her go, his breath was caught in his chest as they faced each other.

“Now I know what you’re going to say-” She started, twisting her fingers nervously.

“Marinette-”

“And I asked Plagg if it was okay-”

“Marinette-”

“And he said it was, but now I’ve realized I might have made a mistake?” She ended on a questioning ring and grimaced.

“Whatever happened to blending in?” He hissed.

Green eyes dipping, chastised, she bit her lower lip and looked away.

“I know…” she whispered. “I made a mistake. I’m sorry. You just… you have such amazing clothes…”

His heart gave a small throb at the sad look in her eye and he sighed.

Come on. That wasn’t fair.

Having been in his body in less than twenty-four hours and she’d already perfected the art of the innocent kitten eye. There was no way he could stay upset at her when she looked like that. Even in his body, her sweet Marinette countenance shined through and his panic was quickly dripping away. Letting a small reassuring smile spread on his lips, he reached up to place a hand on her shoulder.

Her eyes shot back to him in surprise.

“I understand this is going to be hard for us,” he said softly. “We have to do our best, okay? If it makes you feel better, I’ve already made a mistake, too.”

“What did you do?” she asked, green eyes narrowing.

“I punched Nino in the arm and called him ‘bro’.” He snorted. “He must think I’m crazy.”

A thought crossed her and she leaned in to smirk. “I saw you were with Chloe. How’d it go?”

His hand dropped from her shoulder as he scrambled for an answer - “She’s… uh…”

Marinette simply blinked expectedly at him.

“Alright, I’ll admit… she’s not the nicest person to you.”

“Adrien, it’s not just me. She’s the reason most of our school has been akumatized,” Marinette said pointedly.

“I know, I know.”

A shiver of awkwardness fell between them and Marinette glanced away, still biting on her lip. For what it was worth, she did look good. The jacket was a perfect fit across his body’s shoulders. Gaze flipping to the sleeves, he was relieved to see she’d opted out for cufflinks.

That hair though…

“What did you do to my hair?” he asked, frowning. Lifting his small hands, he boldly stroked the slicked back sides of her head, and her mouth fell open slightly at his touch. Pupils dilating, eyes growing hazy, she instantly leaned into his palm and forced his fingers to curve around the back of her ear in a light scratch. The glued strands tossed messily as she let out thin sigh-

And a thick rumble escaped her throat.

He watched, his stomach clenching strangely, but his lips curling into a laughing smile. She purred deeply, nuzzling her face into his hand.

“Uh - Marinette?” he supplied - and her eyes snapped back to awareness.

Leaping back with more agility than humanly possible, she almost hit the staircase with her head. Face roaring red, mouth opening and closing, she tossed her fingers through the blond locks - attempting to fix it. Her back straightened with false bravado and she looked everywhere, but at him.

Adrien snorted a laugh. Oh, this is interesting...

“I-I… Sorry...”

“My Lady - you’ve got to get your emotions under control.” He grinned with pride.

She scowled. “No more touching my head - I mean, your head.”

“Why?” He cheekily took a step closer and she leaned away. “You seem to like it so much.”

“You said we have to be normal. Purring isn’t normal, Adrien.”

He shrugged. “It is for me.”

“I’ve only heard you do it once. And that was in the middle of a fight. And you were transformed.”

“That’s why I said you’ve got to control your emotions.” Another large grin spread on his lips. “Can’t have everyone figuring out I’m Chat Noir because you keep purring everywhere.”

“I don’t keep purring everywhere,” she said with a disgruntled look, but her cheeks flushed. “Your ears are really sensitive - that’s all.”

“Hm, how strange,” he shot her a bemused expression and lifted a hand to reach for her face. “I thought my spot was under my chin. Perhaps I’ll try that next…”

She ‘eeped’ and her fingers raced to cover her jaw.

He burst out laughing.

“That’s not funny!”  

“I’m just joking, My Lady.” - But… not really, he added in his head.

Marinette rolled her eyes and straightened her shoulders once more, visually gathering her shattered dignity. “Anyway, I have an idea on how to smooth over this whole outfit fiasco. I can say I have a photoshoot after school and had to wear the outfit. Will that work?”

He mulled over the idea. “That’s not how photoshoots usually operate, but no one at school will care about the details. If anyone asks, that’s your story. Good idea.”

“Thanks!”

She suddenly gave him a dazzling smile that caught him off-guard. It was strange how, even though her physical looks were completely different, he could still see her so clearly. Ladybug’s confident grin and Marinette’s shining happiness. They were combined now - not separate. She was one full person looking back at him.  

Nervous heat raced up his neck and flooded his cheeks. Clearing his throat, he reached back to rub his neck, fingers brushing through soft raven pigtails.

“We-We better get to, uh, the-the classroom.” His words were uncharacteristically stumbled.

He frowned inwardly. Why was he stuttering?

She blinked suddenly, reaching inside the jacket for his phone. Fishing it out, it flashed with one new message from Nathalie.

“Ah-” he grabbed it from her, “-my schedule for the week.”

Marinette bit her bottom lip lightly once more. “I need the password for your phone, Adrien.”  

“Oh-Oh, right!”

He tossed in the code and she watched, leaning closer. He smelled piney cologne and resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her.

Here’s hoping she doesn’t have to change into Chat Noir or that’ll mess up her sense of smell.

Pulling up the schedule, his eyes landed on Wednesday and he sucked in a tight breath.

Oh, no...

“What is it?” Marinette asked concerned.

Blue caught green as he turned to give her a fearful glance.

“You have an actual photoshoot in two days...”

*************************

Walking up the steps together, Marinette had the word spiraling in her head.

Photoshoot… Photoshoot… Photoshoot.

Adrien looked just as floored - his blue eyes wide and his face wiped of thoughts.

“How are we going to survive this?” he asked, his voice coming out in a tight squeak from her throat.

“I don’t know… but we will.”

“Do you know anything about modeling?”

Glancing over at him, she sighed. “I guess you’ll have to teach me. We’ll have to meet up. I can come to the bakery tonight as Chat Noir or you can come over to your room as Ladybug. Also-” she bit her lip, “-we need to talk.”

“Talk about what?”

“About our personal boundaries-”

At that suggestion, he suddenly tripped on the stairs. Chin painfully hitting the top of the second floor, he grunted - the pink backpack sprawling over his head.  

“Are you okay!?” she cried, reaching for his arm to help him up. He rubbed his chin, his eyes squinting in pain. Ducking her head - sheesh, Adrien was tall - she looked him over carefully with her hands on his shoulders.

His face was still red, blue eyes avoiding her face.  

“Marinette!“ A familiar voice called and she glanced up sharply to see Alya hurrying from the classroom door.

“Hey, Alya!” She grinned happily - which made the girl stop short with a quizzical look.

“...Uh - hi, Agreste. Manhandling my best friend?”

“Marinette tripped. I was just helping her up,” she said smoothly - and with no stuttering… huh.

“And getting a little too close for comfort,” Alya smirked, crossing her arms.

Hands instantly leaving Adrien’s shoulders, a touch of heat hit her cheeks.

“I’ll be headed in now, Marinette. Try to be careful.”

“O-okay,” Adrien said softly.

Turning away and brushing past Alya, she heard her friend give a low whistle.

“Girl, you have a lot of explaining to do.”

Fear hit her tightly in the stomach and she glanced back to see Adrien’s helpless face shining at her from over Alya’s shoulder.

They caught eyes.

And read each other’s thoughts.

We are so screwed.

Chapter Text

“He was just helping me, I swear!” Adrien insisted - for what was probably the third time since Alya walked up. The redhead was relentless and Adrien now knew why she was so good at her blog.

Once she got an idea in her head, she was practically undeterrable. How they had kept their identities a secret from her all this time was an absolute miracle.

Adrien now saw the value of keeping his and Marinette’s relationship in a non-dating status -

Alya would have drilled him dry for details.

“Come on, girl. Nino told me you dragged him off outside the school in front of everyone. Even from Chloe’s clutches! I’m glad you’ve finally gotten the guts to talk to him, but this is a whole different level of not normal. Something must have happened between you two.”

“He’s my friend,” Adrien simply answered.

Not good enough.

Alya was blinking, unimpressed. “A friend yanks Adrien Agreste away as soon as she sees him?”

“I just needed to talk to him.”

“About what?”

“About things.”

“What things?”

Adrien felt his heart race in his ears and knew he was panicking. His brain stretched for a believable lie.

“He-He said I could attend his next photoshoot. Apparently, there’s one this week he wanted me to go to and I wanted more details.”

Her amber eyes crunched behind her glasses. Still not good enough.

“And he-uh…” Come on! Think!  “... he’s wearing a new fall line?”

Alya’s expression softened and he immediately felt the tense in his arms and legs relax.

That was good. That was good. Fashion was safe. Fashion was Marinette.

“I don’t know…” She shot him a suspicious look. “I still feel like you’re hiding something.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, for one, you haven’t told me every single detail of the conversation you had with him twenty times over.”

A small frown cut between his eyes. Wait. What?

“What do you mean,‘details’?” he asked before he could stop himself.

Eyebrows raised, hands on hips, Alya gave her a look of pure incredulity.

“Hello? You don’t just talk with Adrien Agreste! You psychoanalyze every single thing he does. Didn’t he just touch your shoulders and make sure you were okay? Didn’t he climb the stairs with you? He even helped you up and told you to be careful! How are you not wigging?”

“Because… it’s just Adrien?” He answered meekly.

Bad. Answer.

“Just Adrien? Just Adrien!?  Who are you?!” Alya cried out, grabbing his shoulders. “You usually soak in every breathable second of your conversations together.”

“I do?” She does?

“Girl, aren’t you madly in love with the guy? Did him helping you up completely give you a mental breakdown? Stop acting like this is news!”

But it was news.

At least to him.

Adrien knew she had a crush on him. It was apparent last night with the computer screen.

But… in love?

Blue gaze slipping off Alya’s suspicious face, they trailed to the classroom door. A flicker of heat laced in his stomach and he caught the goofy grin before it could spread fully on his lips.

Marinette - Ladybug - was in love with him. Confirmed by someone else. Someone who knew her best.

“I am in love with him…” he whispered - and hearing the words in Marinette’s voice made his spine tingle and that weird tight heat ignite in his stomach.

“Yeah-” Alya rolled her eyes with a snort, “-I know. You are acting so weird today.”

“It’s been a weird morning…” he sighed quietly. A brush of pity crossed her features as she turned to head into the classroom.

If it really was true: all those times, all those moments Marinette had spoken with him or they’d hung out together... Him as Adrien and her as Marinette...

His mind tossed memory after memory - encounter after encounter. Helping her with translating Chinese with her uncle, running with her throughout the city after that abysmal fragrance commercial dropped.

Oh, God, he’d joked about her being his ‘girlfriend’ that day, too!

There were so many moments! He’d danced with her at Chloe’s, given her the lucky charm bracelet at her birthday party, face-timed her for practically an entire afternoon because he couldn’t leave his house and had wanted to see the fireworks.

They were almost casted as Ladybug and Chat Noir for a music video! He almost slapped his forehead. Jesus! Hadn’t he tried to set her up with Nino at the zoo?! What had he been thinking!? Thankfully, that situation had worked out in his favor and Nino’s attentions went to Alya instead, but still.

His stomach suddenly dropped - hadn’t he almost kissed her during Horrificator…?

He would have had it on tape!

If only he’d known her identity, he would have publically dated Marinette a long time ago! He would have taken her out for dinner and been able to hold her hand or-or… his cheeks warmed as other - more intimate - ideas drifted in.

But then the question hit him.

What was he going to do about this?

Adrien pressed his lips together, remembering the peck from last night when they’d first switched. He’d felt… something. Not the rushing thrills that Ladybug gave him when they touched, but a thin whisper of excitement had gripped him as he’d openly kissed his pretty classmate. He hadn’t known she was Ladybug - but did that make a difference in his feelings?

Also, that kiss had been one of necessity; one that was tainted by a simple theoretical test sparked by the panic of their situation. It hadn’t been for pleasure or want. And now that it didn’t work and they both knew kissing wouldn’t switch them back - would Marinette be okay if he tried it again? Just… because?

His disappointment stewed. Probably not. Marinette clearly said she wanted to figure out a resolution to their switched situation before even considering the complicated mess of their feelings for each other.

And Adrien was going to respect her decision regardless of how he felt about it.

But, as he followed Alya into the classroom and green eyes zipped to him, his heart immediately seized in his chest with nervous excitement.

It didn’t matter that she was in his body. Or that when they kissed last night, he hadn’t known she was Ladybug.

Inside was still Marinette, too.

She was still the girl who’d held him close when he’d crashed on her balcony, still the one who could have saved herself from the spell and left him - but she hadn’t…

She was his partner and the bravest girl he’d ever met.

Tucking a thin smile on his lips, he moved to his seat behind her. She reached out as he passed and touched his arm. He jumped and a small squeak of surprise left his throat.

“Is everything okay?” she asked him quietly - he could see Alya’s eyes widening behind her. Even Nino was glancing over with curiosity.

Marinette is in love with you. The thought rang through him and he felt his cheeks race with heat.

“I-I, yeah, I just needed to-to speak about whatever with - you know…” he trailed off lamely, wincing at his stutter.

“Alright.” She nodded looking relieved and letting go of his sleeve.

******************************

Class was blissfully uneventful. As the lunch bell rang, Marinette let out a deep sigh of relief. It was unnerving to have Adrien sitting behind her - his gaze practically a physical touch on the back of her head. Considering how many hours she’d spent staring at him from the exact same seat, she was surprised he hadn’t felt it long ago.

So distracting...

Her feelings had always been comedically on her sleeve when she’d interacted with him as Adrien. A thin toss of humiliation slipped over her.

How many times she’d acted like a complete fool in front of him - only to have the boy she secretly loved to be her punny partner all along and -

No. She inwardly shook the knotted thoughts out of her head. Now was not the time to figure all that out. They had bigger issues to deal with.

Her stomach growled audibly with hunger and she groaned at it. Picturing the warm homemade sandwiches and tea probably waiting at the bakery, she plucked out Adrien’s phone and clicked open the text from Nathalie.

Car will be out front in ten.

Right, regulated food intake. Well, any kind of food would be wonderful right about now. She’d skipped breakfast due to her morning romp through his immaculate designer clothing and her mild panic attack at his… well… thing and now she was paying the price.

Marinette remembered she had been hungry last night when she woke up as Chat Noir.

Turning in her seat, she watched Adrien out of her peripheral sight. His small hand tapping his chin, he ducked, raven pigtails trailing over his shoulders, as he jotted something down on a piece of paper.

Just how much did her partner starve daily?

Her stomach growled again and Nino glanced at her with a pitying smile.

“Hungry, dude?”

“Yeah,” she answered, her focus still on Adrien. “Got a photoshoot coming up in two days.”

“That explains the new duds,” Nino commented, eyeing her designer jacket. “Advertising in real life as well as commercials?”

“Something like that.”

“Marinette! Stop writing and let’s go to the bakery! I want to try that new Danish you were talking about the other day,” Alya announced, standing to pack her bag.

“It’s not new at all, but an old family recipe that-” she stopped.

The words had unthinkingly spilled from her.

Oh… oh, no.

She wasn’t Marinette...

Adrien’s blue eyes slowly lifted to shine in panic, Nino frowned behind his glasses, and Alya’s head tilted with confusion - and suspicion. All eyes on her face, she frantically searched for words, explanations, something that would make sense. Her mind was blank.

Completely and utterly blank.

“Yeah-yeah, that’s what I was- uh- telling you earlier this morning, right, Adrien?” The raven head said tightly, small fingers nervously wrinkling the paper he was writing on. “I’ll make sure to bring one back for you.”

“Okay,” she croaked - before clearing her throat. Pressing on a smile, she added, “I’d appreciate it! You know how I love your baking!”

At the word ‘love’, Adrien’s entire body twitched and the pen he was writing with twisted out of his fingers to clatter noisily to the floor.

“Alright, girl! Let’s get going!” Alya jumped in like a self-professed hero and grabbed Adrien’s arm to make him stand. Gathering the pink book bag and wrinkling the paper furtively in his fist, he tossed the note into her open bag on the floor as he took the stairs to the classroom door.

She saw his cheeks were tinged pink as he glanced back at her before leaving.

“Dude, what is your deal?” Nino’s voice broke through her apprehension and she glanced at him in surprise. She’d forgotten he was even there for a moment.

“Deal? I have a deal?” she asked, blinking in surprise. “What do you mean? I don’t have a deal.”

“You are acting so weird.”

“I’m not acting weird!”

“Oh, yeah? Why did Marinette drag you off this morning? She looked upset about something.”

“I did? I mean - she did?” She inwardly cringed. “It-It had something to do with my next photoshoot coming up and Marinette’s going to come with me and she wanted details and I’m wearing a new line that she likes and she wanted to talk to me about it and - and…”

Nino’s eyes weren’t changing from their suspicious squint. Instead, he seemed get worse, his lips curling down.

“Dude… since when do you talk to Marinette one on one like that?”

“Because we’re classmates?” She tilted her head for add curiosity effect. She hoped it didn’t make her look as stupid as she felt.

Nino shrugged, but his light brown eyes glinted mischievously. “Bro - tell me the truth here. You don’t like her, do you?”

Her stomach lurched. “L-Like!? Like who? Marinette? Her? I mean, she’s nice and all, but she’s like, pfft, I don’t know, my friend or something?” Stop, Marinette. Stop, Marinette. Stop, Marinette.

“Dressing up to impress her? Talking with her one on one till class started?”

“I’m not trying to impress her, Nino. I’m dressed like this for a private photoshoot later.”

Nino leaned on the desk with a furtive smirk. “Admit it, man. Denial doesn’t look pretty on you.”

“Look, just… just drop it, alright?” Standing up, Marinette planted a look of defeat and grabbed her bag. “Things are complicated right now.”

Nino snorted, standing up as well. They walked out the classroom together, Nino’s arm slung convivial over her shoulders.

“Dude, I know the remedy for complicated.”

“Oh, yeah?” Marinette felt a smile growing.

“Yeah-” the DJ grinned, “-get locked in a zoo cage together. Trust me. It will work wonders.”

Chapter Text

Thankfully, Alya had seemed to have moved on from pestering him about his strange behavior from this morning and had fallen into discussing the newest updates about her blog. As they crossed the street to the bakery, she tossed her amber locks over her shoulder and sighed.

“I wish I could have seen the akuma last night.”

“There was an akuma last night?” Adrien asked - trying to keep her talking as much as possible. He was quickly learning the less he opened his mouth, the better.

“Yeah, girl! Apparently, it was pretty far from here. I’ve asked for pictures and videos from the followers to get more intel. So far, the only thing I’ve gotten is a blurry picture of Chat Noir jumping from some building. It’s really weird though.”

“What’s weird?” He asked - genuinely curious.

“See for yourself.” She whipped out of her phone and logged into the blog. Tapping on the photo, Adrien’s felt his throat tighten as he stared at himself.

He remembered what it’d felt like - struggling to make it back home. His mind and body, solely focused with desperation and fear to aid him, forcing him to make leap after leap to the school rooftop. In the picture, his eyes were pinched tight, his arms fighting to keep him steady on the extended baton. His right hand was clouded in darkness as if he’d activated Cataclysm. Though it wasn’t a good picture by any means, even from the grainy texture, it was easy to tell something was very wrong with him.

“That-That is strange,” he stumbled.

Alya’s eyes flicked furtively over his face and she frowned thoughtfully.

“He looks like he’s in pain, right?”

“I guess so.”

“You think he got hurt from the akuma?”

He shrugged. “Wouldn’t matter if Ladybug cured it with her powers, right? No point in worrying about him.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“What is the blog saying about it?”

Alya glanced over the screen and she scrolled to the end of the thread. “Not a lot except for wild theories.”

They reached the door to Marinette’s house. Lifting a hand to automatically knock, Adrien caught himself just in time and switched to turn the handle instead.

“I’m home!” he called as soon as he entered. “Alya’s here.”

“Come on in, you two! I’ve got lunch ready to go! Take a seat at the table. I’ll be done in a second.”

His heart soared at the announcement and he quickly dropped his pink backpack on the ground to hurry into the kitchen. Settling into a kitchen chair, he let the homey ambience fill him. The Dupain house, already wonderfully warm, was heavenly to the senses. The aroma of fresh bread, the sight of a clean, well-lived house, the sound of Tom Dupain’s small hum as he grilled sandwiches on a skillet.

Was there anything better?

************************

Opening the flap on her satchel as soon as she entered the open car door, Marinette fished out Adrien’s crumbled note. Plagg’s black face popped out of her jacket, curiously. Straightening the paper she read:

“8pm - Meet in the usual spot for patrol. I’ll teach you how to model. We should see Fu. He may have a solution to our problem. I have something else I need to speak with you about. I hope you’ll hear me out.”

“He wants to talk to me about something? What does that mean?” she whispered, glancing at Plagg for answers. “I know we have…” she blushed, “several things to discuss, but what else would he want to say?”

The kwami frowned. “You think I know?”

“Well, you’ve lived with him. I figured you’d know.”

“Pfft,” the kwami gave a toothy smirk, “all I can say is the kid’s about as dramatic as they come.”

A small smile slipped on her lips. “Oh, really? He’s dramatic?”

“You have no idea. He swooned when he got a reply for his sickening Valentine’s poem last year. Of course, he didn’t realize that you wrote it and thought it was from Ladybug,” Plagg frowned, “which is in fact you, so-”

“Alright, no need to go further,” she interrupted him. “Seriously, it’s like everything is just this crazy spiral. I can’t concentrate on that right now. We have a big enough mess to sort without adding our feelings into the mix.”

“I wholeheartedly agree.” The cat nodded - a small light of respect entering his eye.

Green gazes catching, a strange type of camaraderie passed between human and kwami as they both let out identical tired sighs. Adrien’s large bodyguard entered the car and effectively silenced all further conversation.

It was sad, as they pulled up to Adrien’s mansion and stepped out to the front door, how much the house resembled a fortress: stiff, undaunted, and simply cold. Entering the front foyer, a prick of panic hit her as the large man waited for her to head to the dining hall.

The problem: she didn’t know where that was.

“To the right,” a voice hissed from her pocket, and she immediately turned on toe. A gratefulness washed through her as she walked through the doorway and saw a long table.

It was immediately tarnished as her gaze fell on the plate waiting for her:

Pieces of cut fruit, a small cup of dried nuts, and a thin slice of brie.

This lunch was pathetic!

“He better bring that Danish,” Marinette grumbled, sitting down at the table to pick up a slice of apple.

The bodyguard was gone - wandered off to who knows where - and Marinette was alone. The solidary sound of her chewing was a lonely echo in the long hall. Sitting sadly in her straight-backed chair, she pulled out Adrien’s phone and plugged in the password he’d showed her.

A sudden sense of invasion crept over her as the screen unlocked and the background behind the smatter of apps displayed a beautiful blonde woman smiling, her lovely green eyes twinkling merrily.

Adrien’s mother…

“I shouldn’t go through his phone…” she said softly, slipping a finger to turn it off-

-but just as she was about to, a notification popped up.

From the Ladyblog.

Frowning in curiosity, she clicked on the blog’s feed and her gasp caught hard in her throat. Adrien’s phone slipped from her fingers to clatter on the tile and her hands covered her mouth in horror.

Oh. Oh, no.

They were in trouble...  

******************************

The sandwiches…

He’d thought bacon by itself was perfection, but inside a sandwich…

He scarfed the entire thing down within five minutes and was sad to see his plate empty.

“Would you like another one, dear?” Tom asked kindly, only halfway through his.

Blue eyes misting over, the nod he gave Dupain was way too enthusiastic to be considered normal - but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

Bacon inside sandwiches… what a heavenly concept…

Alya’s phone gave a small ring and she dropped her own sandwich to pull it out.

He watched her click the notification while taking a large sip of his tea.

“Chat Noir crashed on your balcony!?” She shrieked - Adrien spat out the tea as if punched in the gut.

“W-What?” he choked, heart suddenly skyrocketing into a throbbing panic.

“Look!” There was a taste of venom in her voice as she turned the phone and shoved it under his nose. He took it from her - fingers shaking.

Oh... Oh, no...

Sure enough… the picture was unmistakable.

It had been taken from the ground, someone who happened to be looking up at the right time. He was mid-fall, his extended baton careening him sideways straight into the familiar lights of Marinette’s balcony. Though it was from a bit of a distance, it was easy to see the limpness in his body - the black vapor wafting from his hand.

There was no brushing this away. The Chat Noir in the picture looked halfway dead.  

Lowering the phone, his mouth falling open, he faced the redhead’s hard, impenetrable stare with the meekness of a dog with its tail between its legs.

“Explain. Now.”

“I… I don’t… I… he… it...”

He gave a small scream as a buzzing in his purse vibrated against his thigh. Opening it, he spied Tikki’s wide eyed gaze before retrieving Marinette’s ringing phone.

Call from: Adrien Agreste <3

“Oh! I have to take this! It’s super important for something that I need to take care of right now! One second, Alya!” The tumble of words was followed by a strangled giggle as he leapt from the chair and ran up the stairs to Marinette’s bedroom. Slamming the trap door shut, he swiped to answer and met only silence on the line.

“Marinette?”

“Adrien…” His voice whispered - breathless and shaky. “Check the Ladyblog.”

“I saw it,” he groaned, stumbling over to sit on the pink chaise.

“Where are you?”

“In your room.”

“Adrien… this is bad.”

“What do we do?”

“I don’t know…”

There was a quiet so loud it was like a crashing wave in his ears. Blue eyes staring without really looking, they landed on a picture of himself tacked on her wall. It was the smiling face of someone innocent. Someone with no problems in the world. Oh, to be back there again when all he had to worry about were photoshoot schedules and akumas...

“Alya’s there?” She finally asked.

He let out a bitter laugh. “Downstairs thinking I’m crazy? Yes. She’s the one who shouted it to the entire bakery.”

“Oh, God… What my parents must be thinking...”

“I ran up here before I could see them.”

“Probably for the best.”

Another slice of silence. Another gut-wrenching bout of shame struck him. This really was all his fault. If he’d only just told Ladybug about the spell that didn’t get cured. Or stayed where he was at the square. He should have warned Marinette to stay away from him when he landed on her balcony - something!

“I have an idea,” Marinette announced suddenly and his heart lifted with hope, “but you might not like it…”

“Anything is better than nothing,” he rushed.

“I… I might be pushing our luck, but this could work.”

Luck? That hardly mattered compared to the mess they’d found themselves in.

“What’s your plan, my Lady?” he asked, a small comfort blooming at the familiar words. Trust his Ladybug to have something up her sleeve.

“I’m going to transform into Chat Noir and come to the bakery to thank you for helping me last night. I’ll do it in front of Alya and my parents. Have Alya tape it for the Ladyblog…”

“But that won’t explain why I didn’t tell Alya about it this morning.”

“Maybe Chat Noir wanted it to be a secret, but now that it’s on the Ladyblog, it was better to put out a public thank you.”

He ran the thought through his mind - once - twice. There were flaws, but it was the only plan they had.

“Okay - let’s do it.” A warm relief was beginning to envelope his limbs. This wasn’t bad. A quick ‘thank you’ from Chat Noir should set Alya’s probe back to square one - at least on that account.

“I’m headed up to your room now to leave out the window. Stall Alya at all costs.”

He blanched. “Stall Alya? Exactly how do I do that?”

“You’re a smart kitty! Figure it out!” He heard her panting as if she were running up stairs.

“Oh!” A quick thought hit him. “Remember: you have to act like me!”

He heard her scoff. “Obviously! I’ll be there soon!”

The phone call abruptly ended and he stared helplessly at the screen until it darkened. A red flicker appeared from his hip and he watched Tikki materialize out of the purse to hover near his face.

“Do you think this could work?” he asked her.

“I think anything is better than nothing.”

“But what do I say, Tikki? I have to stall her somehow…”

She put on a thoughtful look. “One thing I know about Alya is she loves to talk about her theories. You keep her on that subject as long as possible. Trust me, it’s bound to keep her busy.”

“Okay, okay, okay…” He took a deep breath and bravely stood to face an enemy more dangerous than any akuma he’d ever faced–

A reporter.

******************************

Being Chat Noir was so much easier in the quiet of night. Though she’d done alright managing Chat Noir’s enhanced senses going to Adrien’s room early that morning, in the busy daytime it was a completely different story - everything was distracting!

Twisting the baton above her head like he usually did, Marinette barely scraped the landing on the school’s rooftop, stumbling in the clumpy boots. Her vision, focusing in and out, was difficult to control with the contour of light from the sun. The cat ears were just as bad - sounds coming at her from all directions.

“My God... how does he do this?” She hissed as a car honked from three blocks away and her ears accidentally zeroed in on it. Shaking her head, rivaling a cat, she forced her concentration on getting to the bakery.

It was just across the street. Not a long way at all. She could make it.

Just focus.

Marinette sprinted across the school and was near the edge when she heard someone shout, “Chat Noir!” from somewhere below. Ears instantly snapping to the noise, her focus slipped and she tripped on a loose pane to land hard on her face. Tail flicking in agitation, she growled, her nose throbbing where it collided with the hard limestone roof.  

Standing up with a groan, she peeked over the edge and spied Alix waving at her from the school stairs. Giving the pink-haired girl what she hoped was a confident Chat Noir salute, she rushed off the school’s ledge with an elegant leap, pressing on the baton to extend downward towards the bakery -

She pressed the wrong button.

The weapon’s top opened like she was making a call and she found herself careening rapidly to the concrete sidewalk. The baton slipped from her fingers. Limbs flailing, heart in her throat, a loud terrified screech left her lips.

And the ground rose up to meet her-

Chapter Text

He'd skirted the Chat Noir topic well enough - just casually mentioning how he'd helped patch the hero up and sent him on his way.

Thankfully, Tikki had been right. Theories were Alya's weakness. It even side-tracked her from the mysterious phone call he'd just taken. As he pulled every one of them he could think of from the Ladyblog, he realized Marinette must steer clear talking about the blog with Alya. The redhead wasn't remotely suspicious, but seemed genuinely happy that her best friend was taking an interest in something she put so much work into. He could see the dangers of why Marinette probably avoided the blog, but it was turning out to be a great weapon for Adrien - at least distraction wise.

Or maybe it was luck…

Hmm, he'd have to ponder on this.

"Carapace is probably older than we think," Adrien said, pulling yet another theory he'd read online the other day.

"I think I know exactly who he is." Alya tossed her hair with a hint of pride and popped the rest of her sandwich in her mouth.

He frowned thoughtfully - truly interested. "Oh, yeah? You do? Who is it?"

Amber eyes glinted. "Well, it's only speculation, but I think it's someone we know really well."

"Really? Someone we know?"

She leaned in and Adrien found himself doing the same. His stomach hitched with excitement.

"I think it's-"

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!"

They both jumped, Adrien's knee hitting the leg of the table painfully as a loud scream pierced outside the bakery. Small hand flying to his purse for Tikki, he heard Tom shout, "what was that?" from the kitchen.

"It sounded like someone in trouble!" Sabine cried, already hurrying down the stairs. "I'll go see what's going on!"

"I'm coming, too!" Alya shouted - jumping up and racing to follow.

Meanwhile a thick dread was twisting inside.

He knew that scream...

***************************

God-saving feline instinct had kicked in at the last second as Marinette instantly twisted her body to land awkwardly, but safely, on all fours. The impact was softened by her toned muscles. She stayed in that position - her teeth clenched, her eyes squeezed shut. The baton clattered to the ground somewhere near her feet.

I… I'm alive…?

Marinette took a deep breath, her mind rushing to catch up with her spiking adrenaline.

A door opened to her right.

"Is there an akuma - wait, Chat Noir?"

A familiar soft voice brushed her sharp hearing like a caress. Opening a shaky green eye, Marinette glanced up into the concern gaze of her mother. Standing with knocking knees, she forced a trembling smile on her lips and swooped down to snatch the baton with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Salutations!" she greeted, attempting to flip the baton smoothly through her fingers. It twisted out of her grasp and clattered back to the ground awkwardly.

She left it there.

"Yes! It is I, Madame! Chat Noir! Here to see Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Your daughter who lives here!"

Her voice was too loud. She was shouting. And drawing a crowd. Phones were beginning to get pulled out. People were whispering to each other excitedly. Putting her hands on her hips, feeling terrified, the large grin she gave her poor mother must have looked insane because the woman backed away a step with a worried look sketching across her features.

"What do you want with Marinette?" she asked.

"I wanted to thank her for her assistance yesterday! And for being such a fine citizen in this fair city! Paris is kept even more safe with people like her on its side!" Marinette swallowed down her cringe as the whispers of "what in the world?" hissed around her.

"Chat Noir!" A light voice called from behind her mother and she finally spied the redhead she needed.

"Why, if it isn't Alya! The blogger who blogs things!" Oh, GOD! Stick with the plan! "I am here to let everyone know… that-that I am here! And alive! And-and safe! All thanks to Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

Brushing past her mother, her best friend quirked an eyebrow before crossing her arms.

"Coming all this way for Marinette? She must be flattered, Chat Noir," she chimed. "Care for a live-stream interview of what happened last night?"

"Absolutely! I would also like to see Marinette Dupain-Cheng if she is here! I am very grateful for her help!" Stop - yelling - your - words - Marinette!

"A little too eager to see her, aren't we?" Alya's phone was in her hands in the blink of an eye and an excited grin was spreading on her lips. "How grateful are you?"

"I-I, uh…" she faltered at the mischievous look in her friend's amber eyes.

"I told you already, Alya. He took a misstep with his baton and fell on my balcony. It wasn't anything special."

Her heart rose and she grinned happily as raven pigtails appeared at the doorway. Hurrying forward, Marinette grabbed Adrien's arm, yanked him out into the sidewalk, and put her hands on his small shoulders.

"Hello, Marinette!"

"Chat Noir - why are you yelling?" Adrien hissed, blue eyes blown wide with tension.

"I don't know," she gritted through her teeth before turning back to Alya's camera.

"The picture looks like you're in pain, Chat Noir. Are you doing alright?"

"I am purr-fectly fine," she replied smoothly - and frowned. Glancing down at Adrien, he gave her a strange look. "The fur-midable akuma Ladybug and I fought was taken care of quickly. It's hiss-terical how I misplaced that last jump and wound up catastrophically ruining her balcony decorations. She was very fur-giving though. But, as you can see, I'm feline great!"

With a quick hand, she snatched the baton from the ground and stretched it to a staff to lean against, tail flicking self-righteously behind her. She could feel Adrien's eyes drilling holes in her face, but her nerves were settling - relaxed.

She'd hadn't realized it before, but puns were actually kinda fun.

"We all know your power is Cataclysm, but that shadowy stuff coming from your hand didn't look like your powers. Can you give us more details on what happened?"

"Ah, that's superhero secrets, un-fur-tunately," she brushed off easily, "howev-fur, I just want all of your followers to know Ladybug and I are here fur mew."

"And what about Marinette?"

She blanched and some of her new found swagger broke. "Marinette?"

"What about me?" Adrien asked, turning to Alya with tightness still in his eyes.

"Did you ask her not to tell anyone about your so-called 'crash-landing'?"

Think, think, think. "I didn't want to put her in the awkward pawsition of dealing with my m-hiss-take. Especially since she was so kind to help this poor stray," she replied with that smoothness.

She sounded like him. Huh.

Was it really the puns? Or the fact that Adrien was near?

She'd have to think on this later.

"You said you were going to thank her," Alya smirked. "How do you plan on doing that?"

Her stomach lurched. "I said that! Yes!-" No yelling. More puns. "-I mean, thank you for not letting me fur-get." Turning to Adrien with a sly grin falling on her lips, she swept to her knee like a fairy tale prince and snagged his hand.

"What are you doing?" He breathed - just loud enough for her to hear.

"Being you," she whispered back before planting a small kiss on the back of his fingers.

There were gasps and camera clicks as she boldly held his hand to her lips. A small blush popped on his face and he whisked his hand away with a nervous scowl. He turned, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

"I'm glad you're alright, Chat Noir," he said indifferently.

Slipping to her feet, she leaned in as close as she dared to his dark pigtails. "Thanks to you, purr-incess…"

"Alright, kitty, enough flirting with my best friend," Alya called, but the excited glint in her eye was unmistakable. A sudden drop of fear ran cold as she noticed that spark.

Uh oh, that probably meant trouble. Had she overdone it?

"W-Well, I should get going!" Marinette stumbled as she backed away, the nerves creeping on her once more. "Stay - uh - stay in school, kids!"

With that pathetic send off, she pressed a paw on the baton and it shot her high across the street. A cheer rang from the ground as she left and her hearing flicked to it - momentarily distracting her. As the roof came to meet her, she barely cleared the landing, her foot catching on the ledge and causing her to fall flat on her face.

A groan escaped her mouth as her sore nose bloomed in pain once more.

Hopefully, no one saw that.

"Are you okay, Chat Noir!?" Alya's voice called from the street.

Of course.

Was this what it felt like dealing with Black Cat's bad luck?

"I'm okay!" She shouted back, slowly picking herself back up.

They were going to have to figure all this out as soon as possible.

If an akuma popped up, Paris was doomed.

Chapter Text

As bad as the interview had been, the Ladyblog seemed to think nothing of Chat Noir's strange behavior - which made Adrien question to what extremes was considered normal for him.

Tripping on his own feet, kissing the backs of girls' hands, punning everywhere.

Well, the punning had been spot on.

He never knew Marinette had it in her. Regardless if she could pun properly or not, her Chat Noir impression had made him look like a downright lunatic.

And yet, there were no comments on the fact that she'd shrieked like a banshee just outside the bakery, or acted with the bravado of a superhero from the 50s, or landed face-first on a roof for an exit.

Setting his pink backpack on the ground near Marinette seat, he pulled out her phone to scroll through the comments below the posted video. A hard rock hit his stomach with every word he read. Alya, thankfully quiet, periodically flipped her eyes from the phone's screen to Adrien's face.

"Marinette, I-" she finally tried, but stopped as another comment popped up.

"I think live-streaming the interview was a bad idea," Adrien murmured quietly.

"But he did kiss your hand - and he called you 'princess'. When did that start being a thing?"

"Does it matter?" he asked sourly, flipping through to the comment and wincing.

"I just… I didn't think that the followers would go in this direction."

Indeed, a new and very terrifying thread was beginning to break loose over the blog:

"What does Chat Noir see in that girl anyway?"

"OMG - the way he kissed her hand!"

"He's so handsome! I wish he'd kiss my hand like that."

"You think he's cheating on Ladybug?"

"Ladybug and this girl should fight for his affections!"

"Yeah! And Ladybug pulverizes her!"

"I hope this girl gets akumatized."

"I wonder if they've kissed!?"

"Ladybug and Chat Noir have already kissed each other. He wouldn't fall for some civilian hoe!"

Of course, Marinette's plan had backfired - just like everything else that had happened today. He'd known today was going to be rough - but from how everything turned out, it would have been so much safer for both of them to have called in sick. Now, not only were they having trouble trying to pretend to be each other, but the entire Ladyblog was twisting the situation into something so much worse.

Great. Just… great.

There was at least one good thing that had come out of this though: Alya had been completely derailed as far as this morning's antics was concerned. Her drilling for Adrien facts was tempered by the guilt she felt for posting that video. And Adrien was a-okay with letting her squirm over it.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette." She winced as yet another comment popped on the feed.

"Chat Noir belongs with Ladybug! End of discussion! Get that pigtailed loser out of there!"

Adrien sighed, but didn't reply. What could he say? 'Actually, I'm not your best friend and Chat Noir is not who he is and we are both stuck in this horrible situation that we have no idea how to fix.'

Marinette's phone tinged with a text message.

Adrien Agreste <3: I'm sorry.

He sighed and tucked the phone back in the purse. He was tired, and worried, and tired of being worried. Eventually things had to calm down and another story would crop up to take everyone's mind off of it. A new superhero or akuma or Jagged Stone single. This was just a simple problem they needed to wait out or sort through.

There was still that photoshoot coming up in only a matter of days.

It was few minutes later when smoothed blond hair, green eyes, and that absurd checkered suit appeared at the doorway. Shoulders forward, head down, Marinette walked slowly to the front seat and plopped down.

She looked defeated.

A hard rock hit his stomach.

His Ladybug should never have that look on her face - regardless of whose body she was in.

Whipping out the phone, he pulled up his messages and typed in: We are in this together, remember?

He pressed send.

Watching her reach into her jacket, she pulled out the phone and he smiled lightly as she glanced over her shoulder at him. With a small nod, she mouthed, 'Tonight?'

'Tonight,' he agreed.

*****************************

The school day ended without any more hiccups to which Marinette was supremely grateful for. She didn't know how much more she could take. Already dealing with lack of sleep and nerves on edge, she stood quickly as soon as the bell rang and shouldered Adrien's bag to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Nino," she called softly.

"You leaving already, bro?"

She sighed. "Yeah, got a ton of stuff to take care of at home."

"Your old man crackin' down on you again?"

She frowned. "Again?"

Nino blinked. "Dude, you facetimed us because he wouldn't let you see fireworks a few weeks ago, remember?"

"Oh! Oh, yeah!" Marinette gave strange laugh. "Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind right now-"

"Don't forget we have practice this week, Adrien!" A voice chirped behind her. Whirling around, she spotted Rose and Juleka coming down the steps.

Her mouth dropped open as the words processed and she saw Adrien's eyes zip to her face in alarm. "Wait… practice?"

"With the band!" Rose squeaked. "You said you'd give me your photoshoot schedule so we could know when you'd be there."

"I-I did, yes, I said that I would do that!" She grinned wildly and noticed Adrien unperceptively shake his head with a grimace. Immediately, she stopped smiling. "I will make sure to send it to you."

"Thanks, Agreste," Juleka nodded.

"We're looking forward to hearing that solo you're planning," Rose added.

"S-Solo…" She felt faint. "I am… planning a solo… yes…"

"When are you going to practice, dude?" Nino piped in. "Can I come, too?"

"Marinette and I want to come!" Alya announced, giving Adrien a subtle wink behind her glasses.

"I'll let you guys know once I've planned it out with the other band members," Rose answered - thrilled to have an audience. "Luka said he's free anytime this week."

At the mention of the older boy's name, Marinette felt her cheeks grow warm and her eyes trailed shyly to the floor.

Luka…

The two girls walked out of the classroom. Slowly, her eyes flicked back to Adrien and he was giving her a weird look. A suspicion, a worry, and a tightness was across his face.

Tearing her gaze away and hurrying out the classroom, her face burned.

Crap.

*****************************

The Ladyblog continued to chime with comments throughout the car ride to Adrien's mansion, through the front door, and up the staircase to his room. A text from Adrien to ignore it only made her read every single notification with growing humiliation.

She should have been grateful people were glossing over the fact that she'd screamed as she almost fell to her death outside the bakery or shouted in her mother's face or awkwardly dropped her baton - or even the clumsy face-planting exit.

All of that was being completely ignored by the populace.

Yes, she should have been grateful...

Another blip from his phone and she sighed, tossing the device on his large bed. Seriously, it was all the blog could talk about. All anyone wanted to talk about. After the thousandth comment about how ugly 'the girl who stole the cat away' was, Marinette just couldn't look at it anymore. The words strung hard, knocking at her pride.

She wasn't ugly… was she?

Marinette had only kissed his hand because he'd done the same to her during Evillustrator. What was the difference between then and now? How was being flirty not a normal thing for Chat Noir? Or had she been just overreacting to normal teasing behavior and read too much into him all this time. Maybe he'd not been as forthcoming with his flirtation has she always thought-

She groaned and shut the lonely bedroom door behind her. Letting the school bag drop from her shoulder and taking off the jacket, she gently hung it in the closet and let her eyes roam over the comfort of fashion. Pressed slacks, rows of shined shoes, all those ties…

If she could live in here, she would - actually, considering how big the closet was, that might be a possibility. Avoid life as Adrien and just live in this beautiful closet surrounded by rich fabric and perfect designs. She could survive off scraps of camembert. It smelled weird, but she never really had anything against the cheese.

Perhaps Plagg would share...

Leaving the closet and letting go of her ridiculous thoughts of hermetism, she headed to his large computer desk and plopped in the comfortable seat to put her face in her hands.

"What are we going to do, Plagg?" she asked the cat kwami through her fingers. "Today was an absolute mess."

Quietly chomping on camembert on Adrien's bed, he glanced at her before shrugging. "What do you need to do? You're switched and dealing with the consequences. Of course, it's going to be a mess. What did you expect?"

"I didn't expect everyone is calling me 'ugly' on the Ladyblog." She whispered.

Was she really that hideous compared to Adrien? He told her several times he loved her, but…

It felt as if every insecurity she'd always had in the back of her mind was blaring with headlights. It didn't matter that she was Ladybug. It didn't matter that they were partners.

She was… ugly...

Plagg snorted. "Are you?"

She scowled, head leaving her hands. "Am I what?"

"Ugly. I'm a kwami. Human beauty is as pointless as the paper between cheese slices to me. But clearly that's a thing for humans."

"Of course, it's a thing! It's a big thing!"

"Then are you ugly?"

She sat back, feeling both strangely embarrassed and upset. A burn tossed behind her green eyes and she willed the tears back.

"I… I don't know. Compared to Adrien-" She squeaked as the cat zoomed from the bed to float in her face and rolled his eyes, irritated.

"I think there's something you should see. The kid will probably either kill me or thank me. Honestly, to stop this whining I'll take either."

Plagg moved to the computer mouse and nudged it. The three screens flicked on and she saw that same photo of his beautiful mother shimmer into view on the backgrounds.

Hands lowering to her thin chest, invasive fear filled her.

"Plagg, we shouldn't be doing this! This is his personal computer! I don't want to intrude-"

"Yeah, sure, okay," Plagg brushed off, moving the mouse to a file in the corner. Double-clicking, a password protected box popped up - to which the black kwami instantly typed on the keyboard with his toes.

He pressed Enter.

Photos… hundreds of photos… from the Ladyblog... from fanart she'd never seen before… there even looked like several crude photos taken from his baton…

All of Ladybug… all of her.

"You done with the pity party? He has two more of these files, girly. One of them is videos, interviews, anytime that reporter reported on akumas." The mouse moved to hover over another private file. "This one has stories written about you. I know he's commissioned several of them."

The black cat looked at her awestruck face left the computer to head back to the bed.

"The password is: LadyNoir4lyfe, by the way. If you want to keep looking. Capital 'L', 'N', number four, and life spelled 'l-y-f-e'."

Eyes wide, she stared at the kwami as he simply went back to eating as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened

Large hands hovered over the desk.

And slowly descended to the mouse and keyboard.

*****************************

Marinette was right.

Chloe was cruel.

The blonde's jabbing comments about his inferiority followed his back before Alya had snarled some insult at her to quiet her down. But the damage was done.

The insults... they hurt.

He had tried to brush them off, tried not look at each chime on the phone, tried to brush away the pain, but... with each vibrating beep, and each comment he read, his heart singed with sadness.

Marinette... what she must be thinking...

They called her ugly... How could they say such a thing?! Marinette was beautiful! Even without knowing she was Ladybug, Adrien had been interested in her. Sure, Ladybug had overshadowed her all this time, but now that he knew they were one in the same, he felt like he'd hit the ultimate jackpot! Beauty, brains, and humor all wrapped into some wonderful package normal men could only dream about.

At least she wasn't the center of it - even though she kind of was. The pity looks, the irritated scowls, the side comments about how Chat Noir could possibly cheat on Ladybug with someone like her.

It was completely directed at him.

It hit not only his pity, but his pride.

So, standing in the middle of her pink room later that night after his marvelous dinner of roast beef stew and bread, his quick, "Spots On!" was easy and flawless. The red-spotted suit enveloped him, strengthened his muscles, and wrapped to conform to Marinette's full figure. Though he'd always enjoyed looking at Ladybug's shapely body - now, turning to the mirror... it just kind of felt weird.

Invasive...

Turning from the mirror with a blush, he unstrapped the yoyo from his hip and glanced it over.

Okay, now for the tricky part...

Did he throw it? Just... let it go? Did it listen to his thoughts? Were there buttons? There were buttons on his baton, but this thing...

He pressed on a spot, but nothing happened. Frowning, he pressed another button and the yoyo opened, showing the mini-computer inside it. Shutting it with a snap, he tapped his foot thoughtfully. Letting go of the weapon, it dropped with a pathetic spin and plopped on the pink carpet, the string puddling on the ground. Whisking his wrist up, the yoyo barely moved, only dragging a few inches before lying limp at his feet.

Picking up the yoyo and wrapping the string back around the weapon, he tried again - flicking the yoyo down and jerking his hand back up. He yelped as the yoyo overshot back in the air and almost hit him in the chin. It smashed against the ceiling, rocking the room in a loud THUD. Landing back down on the carpet, he stared at it, feeling hopeless.

The dread was back - full and scary.

Not only was Marinette a disaster with his powers, but he was completely useless with hers!

He had to meet with her in less than an hour at the Eiffel Tower! Their meeting spot! The one where they'd hash out all their plans and get used to their powers and discuss... discuss...

What? What happened today and the sheer awfulness that waited for them in the future? She didn't know how to play piano, or model, or speak Chinese! He had no idea how to handle Alya's prying, was getting heckled for the Ladyblog video, and had already made an excuse of 'too much homework' to avoid baking with Tom Dupain. He didn't know how to bake! He didn't know how to handle being called 'ugly'.

He didn't know how to be Ladybug or Marinette.

The yoyo suddenly rang at his feet and he gave a small surprised scream before slowly bending down to open it. Pressing that opening button, he saw it was a call from Chat Noir.

A sense of relief kicked in. He answered the call.

"You have fanfiction written about me."

He dropped the yoyo, which rolled uselessly on the carpet.

Panic, fear, horror, embarrassment.

Rage.

Pure and simple.

It burned.

Plagg. The name made him shake. When I get my hands on you...

"I... I'm sorry... Plagg showed me on your computer, but..."

Grabbing the yoyo quickly and he fell to his knees, pressing it immediately to his ear.

He was panicked, and enraged, but mostly panicked.

His mind scrambled for something - anything-

"Look, Marinette, I-"

"I wanted you to know that seeing it made me feel better, Adrien," she cut him off. "The comments today on the blog - they were hard to take. Finding... finding this on your computer, though it was shocking at the, um, large number of pictures and stuff... it actually... it made me happy."

His mouth fell open and something stronger than relief kicked in. "It-It did?"

"...Yes..."

Shoulders slumping, hand falling limply on his lap, his embarrassment was still quite acute, but it lessened compared to his shock. His body swayed.

"I feel terrible for prying! I'm so sorry, Adrien! I promise I won't look anymore!"

He let out a weird sigh that ended in a laugh and winced at himself. "It's okay, Marinette. I'm glad you are feeling better. Today was rough."

"It's only going to get harder from here on out, you know."

"I know."

"Despite, um, despite what's happened, we're still on for meeting up later, right?"

He smiled at her bashfulness. Trust Marinette to be embarrassed at finding his secret stash of pictures of her. "Of course, my Lady."

But a sudden thought hit him and he grimaced.

"But... uh..."

"What is it?"

"I might need you to come get me?"

Chapter Text

She was getting the hang of being Chat Noir.

Kinda.

Well, way better than earlier today.

The senses were still overwhelming, but Marinette anticipated it this time. As the transformation hit, she'd taken a moment to close her eyes and concentrate on the wave of noise and scents that roared at her. She needed to get to the bakery to meet Adrien. Concentrate on smelling for bread and pastries. That will lead her to where she needed to go. Zero in on the scent.

Ladybug was more about control, thinking the situation through and reacting as necessary. Chat Noir was pure instinct. His enhanced senses were there to react for him. She'd just have to let go and trust her new powers to guide her.

Don't fight them.

Work with them.

Despite that, her stomach lurched in anxiety as she pushed Adrien's window open and jumped on the ledge. Swallowing, she plucked the baton from her back, took a steadying breath, and a rush of car exhaust, crisp weather, and pigeon feathers made her nose crinkle.

Ugh, she needed to sneeze. She'd forgotten about Adrien's allergy to feathers.

Jumping from the window, she reluctantly let the instinct take over and she landed on an adjacent roof with a graceful tuck and roll. Springing back on her feet, she flipped the baton over her head and cleared another jump. A honk and a shout twitched her ear, but she kept her focus on where she needed to go - the sound falling into a background noise.

Only a few stumbles and one moment where she almost collided with a chimney, she smelled the bakery and her eyes zeroed in on a crimson dot waiting for her on the balcony.

Adrien.

A different type of nerves shot through her.

After everything they'd been through, it made her irritated that she was still nervous seeing him.

He was her partner, her best friend, and her crush.

He had secret pictures of her, three whole password protected files filled with hundreds of them. She had magazine cut outs of him scattered throughout her room. He had her action figure. She had a calendar of his daily life hidden safely away. According to Plagg, he'd cherished her reply to his Valentine's card. Likewise, she sometimes held the lucky charm he'd given her for her birthday - studying the knots and trinkets he'd made with his own hands.

Just for her…

Shaking her head, she inwardly pushed down the butterflies in her stomach and raced over the school's roof to join him. He'd fixed up the balcony as promised - the lights a little crooked than normal. The teapot was still missing, but at least the table looked undamaged.

She cleared the railing perfectly, flipping over the lights and crouching on the impact. Straightening, she grinned down at him proudly.

"I'm getting the hand of this."

"That was a good landing." He acknowledged, gaze tearing from her face to look at the ground. "You've gotten a lot better."

He looked impressed, but his hands were behind his back awkwardly and there was an underlying tenseness in his shoulders. The wind brushed his scent towards her and she smelled the familiar sugar with a hint of a taut smell.

Anxiety, her inner cat told her.

He was... anxious? Anxious with what? Meeting her tonight? Talking about… well, everything that had happened today? Anxious about the future?

It made her own feelings squirm tightly, but she felt an unexpected cheeky grin spread on her lips.

"Thank you, Chat Noir. It's actually pretty interesting being you."

"Meanwhile-" he sighed with a grimace and brought his hands from behind his back to hold out the yoyo.

Now she knew the reason for his anxiety...

Her mouth dropped open and she took the weapon from him - the tangled string draping in her claws.

It… It was a mess. Knotted tightly in at least four places and hanging open as if catching an akuma, the pure light that usually flowed from the open lid was flickering like a broken lamp.

She held the yoyo like a dying friend, glancing from his guilty face to her precious weapon and back again.

"What did you do to it?"

"It-It was an accident! I was simply trying to figure out how to use it!" He explained hastily, finally looking into her horrified face. "It doesn't follow directions! I tried forcing it, willing it, tapping into instinct! It did nothing but get tangled - and I think I might have put a dent in your ceiling? I'm sorry."

His gloom was so pitiful, she could practically see the invisible cat ears drooping on his raven head. With a light exhale, she closed the space between them and put a hand on his small shoulder. Blue eyes holding worry touched with fear, she shot him a small reassuring smile.

"It's alright. This isn't the end of the world. I'll teach you, Adrien. I've had time to get used to your powers - not saying I'm great at it, but I'm beginning to understand how this works. Don't worry about the yoyo. I'm sure with a bit of practice you'll get better at it. Remember when I first started out? I literally crash landed into you and hung us from a pole."

"Getting tangled with you was the best day of my life," he added, a thin smile of mischief growing on his lips.

Rolling her green eyes, she dropped her hand and turned away - her tail lashing sharply behind her heels.

"Let's get to the tower and we can figure out where to go from here, okay?"

"How do you plan on getting us there?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Here," she turned around to crouch in front of him. "Jump on."

Tentatively feeling his thin arms lace around her shoulders, he hopped on her back. Red and black spotted legs wrapping her thin waist, face pressed against the back of her neck, he was small - body light and easy to manage. The fragrance of sugar spilled from him and she felt the nervous twitch return to her stomach. Holding the baton, she hesitated at the balcony railing.

Oh, God, what if she couldn't concentrate? Not only was she going to have to get herself to the tower, but she also had to ignore the fact that the love of her life was currently perched helplessly on her back - trusting her.

If she screwed up, it would be bad for both of them. If she screwed up, it would-

"Just take your time, my lady." His voice whispered in her ear. "You can do this. I saw you earlier. Take it one jump at a time."

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and pressed a button on the baton.

The weapon shot them both high in the sky and out of sight.

****************************

There was a sharp whizz, a thin hiss of a string, and a loud bouncing thonk as the yoyo shot out of his stretched fingers to land uselessly on the metal floor quite some ways behind him. His shoulders wilted with dejection.

"The yoyo follows confidence," Marinette said kindly, eyes following him as he walked - for what must have been the twentieth time that night - to pick up the fallen weapon. "If you trust in yourself, it'll do what you ask."

"You realize confidence is something of a paradox right now, right? I have no idea what I'm doing, my lady." He sighed at the new knot that lumped tightly in the invincible string.

Set up on the second tier of the tower, Ladybug leaned against the railing with her legs crossed and tail flicking as she watched him pick at the knot with small fingers.

"Hm, perhaps confidence isn't the right word - maybe control? Have an idea of where you want the yoyo to go. Don't rely your senses to guide it. Trust the yoyo and your luck to do what you want."

He scoffed with a dark laugh, freeing the knot and hand-winding the yoyo back up. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Because you need to trust it. Don't force it."

Adrien groaned, his body tired and a small headache blooming behind his eyes. Dinner had been glorious, but he was suddenly craving something sweet and Marinette's comfortable bed.

Maybe he could snag one of those macarons he'd smelled baking just before he'd left. Sugar seemed like a wonderful answer for this nightmare of a day.

As he readied his hand for another toss, Marinette suddenly strolled towards him and Adrien's stomach turned strangely. She approached from behind, her clawed fingers gently wrapping around the back of his hand.

"The problem is you're throwing it." His voice whispered in his ear - but it was touched all over with Marinette's kindness. She was always so considerate. So willing to help when she could.

Like when you asked Kagami out and brought Marinette along, his brain shot at him and he winced. He'd been blocking that memory out well enough, but with band practice and Luka on the horizon- he forced himself to focus back on what she was saying.

"-can't make it when it's already willing to do what you want," she was saying. "That's why this isn't working. You have to trust that it'll do what you want."

Despite the cold air up on the tower, Adrien felt his cheeks burn as her broad chest grazed against his back.

"But there aren't buttons to push or-"

"Why would it need buttons if it follows your thoughts? Just close your eyes, picture where you want it to go, and let the yoyo do the rest."

He let go of a breath and his bluebell eyes closed tight. But… this was distracting. She was distracting. Too close. He couldn't picture anything - couldn't get his mind straight with her being so near. His Ladybug - his Marinette - his friend - his companion - the love of his life - one and the same.

His heart leaped as he felt her large fingers wrap gently around his wrist and pull his arm back slowly. "When you throw your hand forward, just let go of the yoyo. It'll follow what you want. Trust in it. Just picture it leaving and then returning back to you."

"Leaving and returning, leaving and returning..." he repeated quietly, his eyes still closed - but his cheeks burning. Sucking in a breath, he tossed his arm forward and simultaneously let the yoyo go. He heard it whizz in the air.

Return! he thought, jerking his hand back. A metallic whirl cut through wind and smacked back into his palm sharply.

Blue eyes popping open in disbelief, he glanced at the yoyo then back at Marinette. She was grinning proudly.

"I did it!"

"Of course, you did! You're perfect!" Her green eyes widened, and she suddenly stepped away from him with a blustered look. "I-I mean, you are my partner and you've seen me with the yoyo so obviously you'd quickly pick up how to do it because you're smart at - learning things. There was no question you wouldn't get how to use the yoyo because-"

"Marinette," he called softly, and she glanced at him with pupils a touch thinner than normal. She was nervous. Or scared? He couldn't tell which one without his enhanced senses.

"Y-yes?"

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "We might have some trouble with akumas, but at least we're getting the basics down. I feel a lot better now that I've got a grasp on this thing."

"I-I, you're welcome," she stumbled, but a tiny smile appeared on her lips. As fast as the smile appeared, it left.

"Adrien," she sighed. "We have to talk about it."

His head tilted at her sudden change in mood. "About what?"

Reddened cheeks underneath the black mask, Marinette tossed the blond locks out of her eyes and the professional Ladybug shined through the catsuit.

"We have to talk about... boundaries."

Now it was his turn to flounder. Nerves upon nerves piled, wiggling and squirming in his stomach. He glanced from her serious face, to his shapely body, and back at her. He had known this conversation was going to happen - needed to happen.

But first he had to let her know -

"I promise I've kept my eyes closed, Marinette. I didn't look at anything. Not even when I had to change or use the…"

She grimaced and turned away to avoid him, effectively cutting him off. "I… I'm sorry, Adrien. I… I had to…"

"You had to pee," he acknowledged – and just saying the words were like torture.

She nodded tightly. His stomach dropped. He just wanted to die. The tower could swallow him whole and he'd have no problem sinking into the sweet release of death. Instead, he turned away from her as well.

But the topic of conversation couldn't be avoided.

"I'll bathe with a swimsuit on. Tikki can help me into it. I won't look - I swear."

"I'll bathe with boxers on." She followed him, her voice light and cracking in her throat. "I'll only touch to pee. I tried not to, but I..."

He finished her sentence for her in his head: she couldn't aim.

Face falling into small hands, he pressed on his eyes till he saw stars.

Oh, this was so bad. So terribly, terribly bad!

"This isn't the only problem. Today was terrible, Adrien."

"I know…"

"Alya, Nino, and the blog's posts about Chat Noir, and-"

"You have a photoshoot in two days."

"I have to play piano with the band, too."

"Right…" His stomach clenched as the memory of a tall, blue-haired boy holding Marinette's hand flickered into his mind.

And a feeling of unease tossed inside.

He hadn't thought about why Marinette had brought Luka along for his date with Kagami. He'd figured they were friends. He was there to keep her company while Adrien sorted out his feelings for Kagami. Honestly, he didn't know Luka that well. He'd only met him a handful of times - the longest being that concert after Captain Hardrock.

He'd liked the guy… but…

The older boy had held her hand, laughed and talked with her...

Why? Why had she invited him? She could have invited any one of their classmates to join her, but instead, she'd brought Luka. He remembered that look she'd given when Rose had mentioned him earlier today. Dreamy and shy - topped with one of her signature blushes. It'd looked really weird on his body, but he could easily see the sweet bashful Marinette on the inside.

Bashful… for another guy...

Did that mean she liked…? He didn't want to finish the thought, a hard brick of fear hitting him. No. No, no, Marinette was his Ladybug. And she had said before she was in love with him as Adrien, right?

"...maybe you can record something and I can pretend to play it? Set up the keyboard behind the band so no one will notice?"

He hadn't been listening as she'd spilled out ideas, her eyes flicking distractedly with one thought after another.

Swallowing the tightness in his throat, he let a tense smile spread on his lips to cover his thoughts. "I can make up something easy to teach you. Nothing too hard if you know the basics of piano."

"I don't know the basics of piano," Marinette grumbled, her shoulders slumping forward. "And, now that I think about it, I only understand a handful of conversational Mandarin. Not near enough to pass for being you with Chinese lessons."

A genuine grin spread on his face - happy to deliver good news for once. "Oh, I guess you didn't know: Master Fu has been teaching me."

"Master Fu?!" she cried with surprise. "Oh, that's a relief! We should visit him tomorrow! See if he has any ideas on what to do!"

"I was going to suggest that." He nodded - and a sense of their comfortable companionship slowly warmed back between them. "We should see him right after school. If anything, he might have some insight to what happened with my Miraculous."

"Good idea - but wait." A slice of something he couldn't read flickered behind her eyes. "What about fencing?"

"That shouldn't be a problem! I can text Kagami and-"

Upon mentioning the girl's name, the warmth immediately swept to shivering frost. Marinette's green eyes shot away from him - her back straight and the belt tail lashing behind her.

Stupid! He wanted to slap himself. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

"Kagami…" His voice was deep as it left her throat. "You… you still like her?"

"I-I…" He didn't know how to respond, his mind frantically searching for an answer that would wipe that look off her face. "Marinette, I-"

She let out a strange giggle. "No - it's okay! I completely understand, Adrien! This is weird and feelings are mixing everything up and I know you like her. Even though we are switched, I'll do my best to-"

"My Lady," he said softly, cutting her off before she could start to ramble. "I didn't know who you were. I have always loved you-"

"You asked her on a date because I turned you down as Ladybug and you asked me to help you as Marinette…"

A flicker of irritation tossed inside. "You took Luka on the date with you."

"I didn't want to be alone watching you flirt with her." She shot back.

He took a step closer, his hand clenching on the yoyo tightly. "You seemed to have a good time with him."

"I did. He's really kind. And a great skater."

"I bet you're looking forward to seeing him later this week."

She exhaled shortly. Crossing her arms tightly on her chest, Marinette scowled. "As a matter of fact, I am. He was nice company to have on your date with Kagami."

A sharp pain, a toss of shame, and he felt like the breath had been knocked from his lungs. What was he doing? Was he seriously getting mad at Marinette for just being a good friend? He'd asked her to go on the date with him! And she hadn't known he was Chat Noir. She'd only rejected the superhero side of him because she was in love with him as Adrien, right?

Or maybe… he felt like a cold bucket of water was suddenly dumped on his head… maybe she actually liked Luka?

"I need to head back," she announced, her clawed fingers grabbing the metal baton behind her.

He was rocked with panic.

"I'll see you tomorrow-"

"No! Wait! Don't go!" He cried, rushing forward and grabbing her arm. An indifferent green gaze tossed to him and all anger washed away as their eyes met. His fingers felt warm where he touched her. Likewise, her lips parted, cat pupils dilating slightly. They were frozen in this moment, studying each other carefully.

"I only went on that date so I could get over you, Ladybug."

"And I agreed to go on the date because I could never say no to you, Adrien," she replied. "You asked me, as a friend, and I went - regardless if it hurt. And it did hurt. A lot."

Marinette broke their gaze and sighed.

They stood like that, minutes passing slowly. His hand resting on her arm, her head down and eyes closed. It felt wrong - the discord of tangled feelings easily brushing away their usual camaraderie. His relationship with Ladybug had always spiced with love, but his friendship with Marinette was a constant sweetness in his life. He had no reason to be angry at her. She was his friend.

A better friend than he ever was to her anyway.

A thin shadow of a smile slipped on his lips - and he did it before he could stop himself.

Reaching up, he stood on tiptoe -

And ran his fingers behind her left ear.

Eyes blowing wide, limbs immediately stiff, Marinette's mouth popped open before snapping closed. He could practically see her quivering to hold in the purr.

"Adrien…" Her voice was a rumble.

"Yes, my Ladybug?" he breathed. His face was close to hers now. They'd kissed when they'd first switched. But now… would she let him? Even with their tangled feelings…?

Could he just this once…?

Did it matter she was in his body? That he was in hers?

No, not really, his brain answered.

He could see she was tense, fighting - but he also noticed her leaning closer, wanting so much to give in.

"I can't… it's too much… I-I better go."

To his hard disappointment and embarrassment, she ducked from his fingers and stumbled a few steps away from him. Marinette's hand flew back to the baton as if she couldn't wait to leave.

But she stopped - glancing back at him with resolve.

"Do you need a lift back to the bakery?"

Adrien, still swimming in his humiliation and confusion, shook his head tightly. "No, you go on. It's been a long day. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Meet before school."

"Right," he agreed.

The separation between them was practically a visible wall as she shot from the tower - the black suit camouflaging her in the night sky.

It had only been one day - one day in each other's lives.

And, instead of being closer, working together, understanding each other - they were further away from each other than ever before.

Holding up the yoyo, he glanced nervously at the sleeping city.

If he made it back alive - he was going to drown himself in cookies.

Chapter Text

A strange ringing noise broke through her sleepy black oblivion. Groaning, she sighed and turned to flop on her stomach.

Another ringing noise - then another - and another.

"Why is the phone on loud?" A grumbling voice broke from somewhere near her left arm.

"I need to wake up," she replied. The voice leaving her throat was deep and gravely. A sourness sprouted in her stomach.

Yep. She was still Adrien.

Green eyes slowly opening, the morning sunlight greeted her from the long, checkered window panes. Despite the beautiful view of the city, the room spanning high over the streets, a strange sense of unease washed over her. Glancing around lazily, the room was quiet. A large TV with plenty of games, DVDs, and a cable line, a orange rock-climbing wall, a basketball hoop, a foosball table, books lining the walls from floor to ceiling.

It was a boy's paradise and yet - it felt so lonely. The kind of loneliness a trapped animal would feel.

Maybe 'caged' was the best word for it.

The phone gave another loud trill and she sighed - and then frowned.

Something was weird.

Adrien's body was doing something.

Sitting up quickly, shoulders scrunched, her mouth dropped open and her eyes raced to the ceiling in a terrible blush. Shaking hands hovered near her chest, fingers curling tightly with horror.

Having plopped on the bed as soon as she'd made it back from the Eiffel Tower last night, she was still in Adrien's dark blue jeans, but…

They were uncomfortably tight.

A small whimper escaped.

"Ohhh-okay, okay, okay, okay… uh... calm down, please, Adrien's body," she squeaked through her teeth.

Sitting up, Plagg fixed her with an amused look.

"Well, look who's awake," he said pleasantly.

"What-why-how-make it stop, Plagg."

Plagg snorted, but there was a touch of pity. "It'll calm down."

"When? How? It feels weird and so uncomfortable…"

"This is normal. Just give it some time. Adrien usually goes into the bathroom and shuts the door and-"

Marinette squawked, hands raising above her head. "I don't want to know what Adrien does! I'm a fourteen-year old girl with a thing I can't control and don't want to touch and this is a breach of privacy and he didn't tell me this was a thing! - Why won't it go down!?"

"Maybe you need to calm down first?" the cat suggested, crossing his arms.

That stopped her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to soothe her panic. "That's… a good idea… if I calm down then maybe it will calm down."

She had seen it before. She'd had to do business with it yesterday. If she was going to be Adrien, she had to realize this was part of the package - no pun intended. He was a boy and this was a normal boy reaction apparently. And, just like everything else that had happened in the last forty-eight hours, she'd just have to learn to deal with it.

"Is it usually this… stiff?" she winced, slowing her breathing in attempts to coax down the painful tightness in her pants.

"I'm sure the skin-tight jeans don't help," the kwami chuckled. The phone let out another irritating ring and Plagg zipped to the nightstand. Tossing her Adrien's phone, the device bounced near her thigh.

"Can you turn this off? It's annoying - and you're obviously awake now."

"Very funny," Marinette scowled, but a tiny smile was lifting on her lips. Slowly picking up the device, she typed in Adrien's password and was shocked at the amount of notifications it had on it.

Over 300+ missed comments. On the Ladyblog.

"Uh-oh, something's going on with the blog." Marinette frowned, finger scrolling to the forums.

Lips falling open, green eyes wide, and erection shriveling instantly, she stared in horror at the subject title of the newest, hottest thread.

****************************

"What in the-"

The light from the phone broke through the semi-darkness of Marinette's pink room. Sitting up quickly from the covers, Adrien's small finger trembled as he read through the uncountable comments that were continuing to blow up on Marinette's phone.

"What's going on?" Tikki's sweet voice asked - but he was too shocked to reply.

Of all the worst… the impossible...

How could this have happened?

" Forum - Subject: CHAT NOIR'S FORBIDDEN LOVE - AND I SHIP IT!"

"U-Uh-oh…" Tikki stumbled with blue eyes blinking rapidly at the title. "This, um… I… at least they are saying kind things about Marinette now."

Adrien's mouth had dropped open. "Kind things? Tikki, they're shipping us! Chat Noir and Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Together! As a couple!"

The red kwami tilted her head. "It's a cute nickname - Marichat…"

A loud groan escaped him, and he tossed the phone on the bed just as more comments blipped on the screen.

" I wonder how long he's been in love with her?"

" It's so obvious he's only in love with this Marinette girl because Ladybug constantly turns him down. It's no wonder he'd choose someone with LB's exact hairstyle."

" He called her 'Princess'!"

" It's so romantic!"

" Like a fairy tale!"

" I wonder if Ladybug is okay with it? She and Chat Noir are partners."

" This new Marichat thing SUCKS! Get off the blog! Lmao!"

" Chat Noir can love whoever he wants!"

" Yeah, troll!"

" Free love for all of us! Even superheroes!

" I wonder - if I wear my hair in pigtails, will I finally get a boyfriend?!"

"This is a disaster!" Adrien announced before collapsing his face into the soft pillow with a groan. "What do we do, Tikki? Not only is it bad enough we have to live each other's lives, but now people are into Chat Noir and Marinette being a couple! What's going to happen at school?"

He felt a small pat on the back of his head. "Well, technically the blog always put you two together as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Maybe, now that Chat Noir's affections seemed to have switched to Marinette, people are accepting that even a civilian can attract a superhero's attention."

"Which will only make things even worse," Adrien muffled through the pink fabric.

"What do you mean?"

Marinette's phone chimed with a different notification and Tikki zipped down to glance at the screen. Blue eyes lifting fearfully, she caught Adrien's worried look from the pillow.

"It's a text from Alya…"

****************************

"Okay, he shouldn't have an issue if I wear his regular jeans, right? I'll just wear one of these silk collared shirts from the Conley Collection. That's definitely less dressy than the suit jacket from yesterday - but…" Marinette sighed, which ended in a small groan. Standing in the oasis of a closet, she ran a hand down a silk tie on the back wall.

"I really want to match with the navy blue. Oh, it's perfect! He's got the complexion for dark colors. Maybe that's why Chat's suit looks so good on him. But then again, that white number from the cologne advertisement made him look practically angelic. What do you think, Plagg?"

Head hanging from the doorway, she spied the small cat on the bed with a slice of camembert dangling over his mouth. Catching his unhelpful nonchalant shrug, another sigh slipped from her lips.

"You're right. I shouldn't go crazy. Let's go with Adrien's usual."

"You seem pretty chill considering the blog's new red-hot forum thread is all about you and Chat Noir," Plagg said through a mouthful.

"It's a simple misunderstanding that will blow over with time. Eventually the blog will be on to something else. It's not like Chat Noir calling someone 'Princess' is anything new." She plucked out the white jacket and black-striped t-shirt and hurried to set them on the bed.

The kwami snorted. "To be fair, he only called you that."

A race of heat touched her cheeks. Really?

"W-Well, it doesn't matter. As long as we play it cool, people will forget about it. I'm more worried about when an akuma finally crops up."

"I agree with you - but I'm not sure Adrien will."

"Why is that?"

"Think about it. He's currently you. That means he'll have to deal with all this new publicity being you."

"He's a model! He can handle it!" Marinette scoffed, finally slipping out of the navy jeans of yesterday's outfit. Her gaze determinedly on the grey ceiling, she searched for the light blue jeans and felt Plagg helpfully hand them to her. With a nod of thanks, she dressed until it was safe to look again.

And that was when she felt the weird hard lump in one of her front pockets.

"What is this?" she frowned curiously, reaching inside.

Heart speeding up, throat tight, her eyes focused on the green and pink stones of her old lucky charm.

"Oh, yeah, he carries that with him everywhere," Plagg chimed matter-of-factly. "He loves that thing. Calls it his 'Marinette lucky charm'."

"I remember that…" she whispered, thoughts sweeping with memories of running around with him through town, ducking the Gorilla at every turn. Despite the insanity of the day, Marinette had obsessed later at the way he'd dragged her along, held her close in the fountain, and his look of joy in the theatre when the movie with his mother began.

Then the akuma attacked and she'd saved his life from falling off a building - waiting for Chat Noir to show up - when, in fact, he was Chat Noir and-

Shaking the mixed thoughts out of her head, she held the charm gently, warmth pooling in her stomach.

"I should apologize to him for what happened last night. It doesn't matter if he likes Kagami or if he only cares for me as Ladybug. This is hard on both of us. We have to work together like the team we used to be. It was so simple back then. Completely in sync. I wonder if we'll ever be that way ever again."

"Well, now's your chance to patch things up. He's calling you."

"What?" The lucky charm almost slipped from her startled fingers before she caught it safely to her chest. Stuffing it back in her pocket, she jumped to the bed to fish out Adrien's phone from the blankets.

"Hello?" she said timidly as soon as she answered.

"You've seen the blog posts?" Her voice asked. There was an underlying tension that immediately made Marinette's heart race.

"Yes. And look, Adrien, it's all going to be okay. I promise it'll blow over-"

" Alya just texted me."

Of all the words to say at that moment, of all the attempts of reassurances, of all the moments where they could try and think this through without panicking - that one sentence was the last thing Marinette needed to hear.

"O-oh, no, no, she texted you? Why did she text you? What does she want? Is it about the blog? Sometimes she comes over randomly and it makes things difficult, but she wouldn't come over this early in the morning, but she might - you need to get dressed now if that is the case, but you better not look-"

Adrien cut in. "She's not coming over - at least, I don't think she is. She didn't text about the blog - though I'm sure she'll want to discuss it in full at school later today."

Marinette felt her heart, which was somewhere in her throat, lower back to its correct spot in rib cage.

"Why didn't you mention that before?!" she snapped, her sweet relief fueling her temper.

"Because you didn't let me say anything!" he returned angrily. "She needs a sweater patched up! She's going to hand it to me today. Wants me to bring the small sewing kit and mend it during class! Funny story: I don't know how to do that!"

"Oh."

The shame that tossed inside was as hard as stone. Letting out a low breath and sitting cross-legged on Adrien's bed, she just wanted to dive under the covers and forget all of this ever happened. It was one nightmare after another - except no waking in a cold sweat. No turning on the light to find it all was a dream.

This was reality.

As much as she wanted to escape. As much as she wanted to text Natalie that she was ill and tell Adrien the best excuse to use on her maman to fake a fever, she knew, as sure as she was Ladybug, that running away from the problem would only make the situation worse.

What had she just said to Plagg: 'We have to work together like the team we used to be.'

"The sewing kit Alya is talking about is underneath my desk. You'll see a small basket filled with yarn. It's behind that. Bring it and tell Alya you'll mend her sweater during lunch."

" What if she wants to eat with me like yesterday?"

Back straightening, head held high, Marinette took a deep steading breath to calm the nerves suddenly bouncing inside like snakes. Hand reaching for the lucky charm pressed against her thigh, she knew what she had to do.

"Hey, Adrien?"

"Yeah…?" he answered slowly.

"Do you want to have lunch with me?"

****************************

When he ended the call, he was unaware of the goofy smile that had spread on his lips. Tikki, having heard only his side of the conversation, was looking at him curiously. Setting the phone on the bed beside him, his smile grew wider and he fell back into the pink sheets with a small laugh.

"What did Marinette say?" the kwami asked.

"She… she asked me to have lunch with her."

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" Tikki chirped. "This is a definite step in the right direction. The more you hang around each other, the more you'll learn to act like one another."

"Could it…" His cheeks blushed embarrassingly, but he was grinning like a fool. "Could it be like she asked me on a date?"

Tikki's mouth popped open in surprise before she closed it quickly with a thoughtful look.

"What did she say exactly?"

"It wasn't really anything big, but… 'do you want to have lunch with me?'... I mean, that's basically asking me out, right?"

"That is quite bold of her. Not to lower your hopes, Adrien, but I think Marinette is simply being tactical. To avoid you having lunch with Alya, the only excuse Alya would buy is if Adrien asked Marinette out."

"You think that's it?"

At the sad kitten look in his blue eyes, Tikki sighed softly. "I'm only guessing. I'm sure she was incredibly nervous to ask you to have lunch with her. I wouldn't treat it as a full-on date, but you could try to make it a little fun. Bring back the happy dynamic that made you two such a great team. I know for a fact Marinette wants that more than anything."

"To be a team…" he whispered, but then his face fell. "But we could be so much more than just partners."

"That's a conversation I'm not sure Marinette is ready for. Be patient, Adrien. She'll come around. It's been a hard time for both of you. Why don't you try to get to know each other, not as Marinette and Adrien or Ladybug and Chat Noir, but as your whole selves: the hero and the civilian as one? Study and learn from her. In the end you'll only grow closer to her."

Sitting up, he let Tikki's words wash over him - and found himself nodding.

"Study and learn. So far, we've been kind of stumbling around since this all began. And last night when we met up, we fought."

"These misunderstandings are bound to happen. Just be patient. You know Marinette cares for you, so let her come to you."

You are pretty wise, Tikki." He smiled at her. If anything, her scarlet cheeks grew redder.

"I've been around for a while. You tend to learn a few things. Speaking of, you should start getting ready for school. Marinette's maman usually peeks in to see if she's up at around this time."

"Let's get that sewing kit first before I forget it."

Sliding down the loft ladder and hurrying to the desk, he crouched low and found the basket she was talking about. Pulling it out, he smiled at the yarn.

Oh, if only I knew this was here when I was Chat Noir… he mused with a small laugh - before something familiar caught his eye.

Pulling the basket closer, a strange twist in his stomach, Adrien reached inside and pulled out a light blue yarn.

His heart hammered in his chest, his ears - the noise drowning out his mind except for one thought: this can't be the same… this can't be the same...

"T-Tikki…" he stumbled his words, and the red kwami rushed over with a questioning look. Spying what was in his hands, she gasped and covered her mouth.

This can't be the same...

Blue eyes met blue eyes.

This is the same.

"Um, what pretty yarn?" the kwami squeaked meekly.

Chapter Text

The stoic female assistant was quiet as Marinette descended the staircase for school. Her finger scrolling through the pad in her arms, she hardly looked up as she said, “Don’t forget the photoshoot tomorrow, Adrien.”

“I won’t,” Marinette replied meekly, nervousness swirling inside - before she remembered. Stopping on the first landing, she pressed her lips together, twisting Adrien’s silver ring on her finger.  

“Hey, um… Nathalie?”

“Hm.”

“I, uh, I have other lunch plans today, so I won’t need to be picked up during break.”

That caught the assistant’s attention. Unfeeling eyes flicking over Marinette, she gave her a thin stare before turning back to the electronic pad.

“I will put this on your calendar for your father to approve. You will receive a confirmation notice shortly.”

Confirmation notice? Put on the calendar? Green eyes danced around the cold room and she involuntarily shivered. Steel grey, black tile. Turning to look over her shoulder, the portrait of expressionless Adrien and his equally unfeeling father sent chills down her spine.

Cold - superciliously controlled and restricted. Compared to the warm bakery, the sweet smell of pastries and laughter, Adrien’s lavished mansion was empty and quiet as a cell.   

Yet Adrien was so warm. So kind.

Head down, eyes on the patterned flooring, she hurried out the front door, entered the backseat of the car, and let out a sigh of relief. A flood of warmth pooled inside her stomach and she ran a tan finger against the old lucky charm in her jean pocket.

Plagg had said he’d kept it close. She hoped he’d gotten some comfort from it.

Such a small gesture, easy on her part, treasured on his.

Another buzz from the phone in her pocket and Marinette sighed. The Ladyblog was still exploding with Marichat fever: yet another thing she’d have to figure out how to fix.

Not that she was worried. It would be more of an inconvenience if anything. She just had to stay away from him while she was Chat Noir, right? Everything would die down eventually. The blog would move on to some other topic and that would be that.

Or maybe…

A bud of a plan suddenly blossomed. As the idea grew, she felt a taste of her old Ladybug confidence settle on her shoulders. Back straightening against the leather seat, she thought this through. Perhaps she could take matters into her own hands. Dissolve this Marichat nonsense once and for all. Adrien would be grateful, and they’d be one step closer to being the team they’d always been.

She just had to make sure she phrased it right.

Also - no shouting.

“You’re planning something,” Plagg whispered interestedly from her jacket. Marinette let out a thin squeak, her eyes crunching angrily at the kwami.

“Hush, Plagg! The driver can probably hear you!” she hissed, blond hair sweeping into her eyes. Marinette glanced worriedly at the rearview mirror.

So far, the giant man hadn’t looked back - or changed expression at all, really.

“You have that look on your face Adrien gets when he sneaks out of his room. Whatcha got planned?” he asked.

“It doesn’t concern you, so get back in my pocket!”

“I guess I’ll have to wait and see. Who’d have thought you two switching bodies would be so entertaining?”

“Yeah, glad you’re having a good time with it,” she sighed bitterly, tucking him in the jacket. The phone vibrated, and she pulled it out to see “Lunch Approved” on it.

Well, that was one concern down.

Now she just had to fix everything else in her life.

Her plan had to work.

It just had to.

***************************************

“I should’ve stayed home today,” he groaned softly at the phone’s screen before shutting it off. Waiting at the stoplight, the cars rushing past whipped the loose raven hairs from his messy pigtails.

Despite the delicious breakfast of toasted almond croissants spread with apricot jelly, the food hadn’t done much to settle the churn of worry inside. Even Sabine’s serene presence, which was usually such a natural comfort for him, hadn’t been enough. Keeping quiet, he’d avoided Marinette’s kind parents with one word answers and ate quickly.

“Aren’t you going to lunch with Marinette?” Tikki chimed curiously from the purse.

“I am, but that doesn’t mean I have to go to school, right?”

“Keeping up appearances is the best chance of blending in. I promise, Adrien. I know it doesn’t look like it, but the more you two live each other’s lives, the better everything will be. Marinette needs you to be her and that means going to school. Besides, Alya would be suspicious if you skipped. She needs you to mend her sweater, remember?”

“And let’s not forget I’m the Ladyblog’s new hot topic,” he added sourly.

“That is… an unfortunate prefix to the situation, yes,” the kwami agreed quietly.

He was two steps up to the school’s front doors before-

“There you are, girl!”

Adrien released a short bracing sigh before screwing on a tight smile. Straightening the pink bag on his small shoulder, he turned to the redhead racing up to meet him. Clutching her phone in her hand, her amber eyes glimmering mischievously behind her thick glasses: it was the look of journalistic trouble. Looping her arm through Adrien’s, she escorted him through the school doors with her head held high like a queen.

His face flushed.

Immediate whispers, giggles, eyes pricking at him like needles, phones chiming in a chorus of notifications.

This was bad.

“Everyone is going insane over this Chat Noir business.”

“Chat Noir nonsense, more like,” he said dryly, blue eyes flicking from one chuckling face to the next.

“He kissed your hand. And called you ‘princess’. And head over to your house just to thank you. And-”

“I get it, Alya. He gave me special attention one time and now suddenly Paris is going nuts over it.” He rolled his eyes.

The reporter’s expression turned thoughtful - and suspicious. “You know, you’re pretty harsh on the Marichat, girl.”

Adrien scoffed. “Why shouldn’t I be? This is completely ridiculous! Me? With Chat Noir? As a couple?”

Alya shrugged. “It’s not the worst thing in the world. Having a rumor that a superhero likes you might not be as bad as you’d think.”

The look of incredulousness made the redhead pity smile.

“Alright, girl, you need to look at the bigger picture,” she said, eyes flipping to something over Adrien’s head.

“What picture?”

“This might help someone else notice what’s been in front of him all along.”

Adrien scoffed. “Like who?”

“Hey, Marinette.” His own voice broke over the back of his neck and Adrien felt his limbs freeze.

She was here.

Words tangled in his throat and he attempted to straighten them before turning to her. Catching kind green eyes, he was relieved to see his normal white jacket and black t-shirt attire on his body.

“A-Adrien!” He stumbled. “Hi! How-how, um, how are you doing?”

“I’m… fine?” Eyebrows lifting curiously at him, she cleared her throat and her shoulders squared. “I need to talk to you, Marinette - privately.”

“I’ll just be…” Alya pointed at the staircase - not before shooting Adrien a quick thumbs up.

Cheeks touched with a blush, he glanced back up to see her taking a slow, deep breath.

“I have a plan,” she announced quietly.

“You do?”

“I think I know how to take care of this ‘Marichat’ issue.”

He leaned closer - relief beginning to grow inside. “How?”

“Just… just follow my lead.” She suddenly grinned brightly, very reminiscent of her Chat Noir bravado, and both hands rose to snag his shoulders.

“Hello, Marinette!” Her voice carried across the school, catching the attention of every student in the vicinity.

Adrien squeaked. Fear, nerves, and something unidentifiable clenched his stomach tightly.

“Wait - what are you-”

“I want to ask you out on a date!”

***************************************

Several phones clattered to the ground.

Adrien’s voice echoed much louder than she wanted, rocking against the stone walls of the large courtyard. It was quiet. Still. Like the hush before a gathering tsunami.

And then-

“Adrien Agreste just asked Chat Noir’s girlfriend on a date!”

Marinette’s heart dropped as shrilling screams, clicks of phones, bodies of students rushed towards the pair of them. Confusion, pandemonium, mass chaos. Green eyes tossing from one chattering, excitable face to the next, she looked back at Adrien - only to see he was frozen in utter disbelief. Mouth hanging, eye twitching, hands limp at his side, he looked like he was ready to faint.

“I m-mean, if you are available-” she added, but her words were covered up with screeching-

“Adrien Agreste asked out Marinette!”

“He is moving in on Chat Noir’s territory-”

“I can’t believe it!”

“You’ve got guts, man!”

“Chat Noir is going to kill him-!”

“He won’t kill him! He’s a superhero! They don’t kill people!”

“But he’ll fight for her affections-!”

“A superhero or a supermodel!”

“Oh, my God! She gets all the boys!”

A hand grabbed her arm, yanking her out of the crowd and away from her partner. Instantly, Adrien was swallowed up by the sea of classmates. Reaching, fingers still stretched for glimpse of raven hair, she let out a small cry as the hand gripped her tighter.

Turning, she spied a blue t-shirt and red cap.

“Nino!”

“Come on, dude!”

Letting herself get dragged across the courtyard, up the stairs - half the crowd hovering around Adrien and the other half following her up to the second floor - she finally got her thoughts collected as Nino pulled her into the boy’s bathroom and pressed his back against the door.

The yells were still loud outside, muffled, but it was at least quiet enough to hear: “Are you mad, bro!?”

Nino’s eyes were wild behind his glasses. Mouth open, head slowly shaking, Adrien’s best friend stared at her as if she were a stranger.

“What are you thinking asking out Marinette like that?”

“I-I…” The words were sticking like glue.

“Have you read the internet this morning? Marinette is practically Chat Noir’s property, man!”

“Marinette is no one’s property!” She snapped back sharply, the indignation finally loosening her tongue. “Least of all Chat Noir’s!”

“That’s what the blog’s been reporting.” Nino let out a long breath, his eyes closing tightly. Crossing his arms, his mouth was a tense line. “This was seriously the worst timing ever, dude. If you liked Marinette, you should have told me and we could have planned something. Like what you did with me at the zoo.”

“I’d rather take matters into my own hands.” She scowled, stuffing her hands into her jeans defiantly. “And what do you mean ‘the zoo’-?

“You can’t tell me your spacing on that as well! You helped me with Marinette, remember? That turned out alright for me getting locked in the cage with Alya, but I don’t see things going well for you. You don’t know Chat Noir, man. I’ve seen him in action against the akumas.” Nino bit his lip, a secret flashing behind his topaz eyes. “He’s someone you can’t win against.”

“Chat Noir doesn’t like Marinette!” she cried. “This is all just a misunderstanding!”

“And how do you know that? You weren’t there! Alya told me what happened! Chat Noir was practically all over her yesterday!”

“What!? No, I-” The rest of the sentence was thankfully trapped as her lips snapped shut. Yes, she’d screwed up being Chat Noir, but this was supposed to fix it! If Adrien asked Marinette out publicly then people would concentrate on that instead, right? The entire infatuation with Marichat would be showcased as slander and they could move on with their lives!

Head falling forward, she groaned.

“It’s alright, dude. We’ll think of something.” Nino stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “If you really like Marinette that much then… I’ll help you stand up to Chat Noir.”

That caught her attention.

“Help me?” she stumbled, eyes widening. “You mean like fight?”

“Not fight!” Nino quickly shook his head. “We’ll get killed! Besides, Chat Noir is a cool dude. He wouldn’t want to fight you. I’ll back you up when he realizes he has competition.”

“But he doesn’t have competition!” she cried.

“But you said you liked Marinette.”

“I do!”

“So how is this not a competition?”

“Because Chat Noir doesn’t-”

Nino’s phone dinged, cutting off her rebuttal. Likewise, Adrien’s phone vibrated in her pocket. Reaching into the white jacket for the device - heart in her throat, fingers trembling slightly - she caught a glimpse of Plagg’s glittering green eyes before turning to the phone’s lit up screen.

***************************************

“Who are you going to choose?-”

“Marinette, we’re best friends, right?-”

“Obviously, she’ll choose Chat Noir! He’s a superhero!”

“But Adrien actually asked her out!”

“Whichever one she doesn’t choose, I’ll happily take the leftovers!”

“I bet Chat Noir is so angry right now!”

“Agreste moving in on his turf-”

“I bet they’ll duke it out!”

“And hurt Adrien’s beautiful face? I hope not!”

He walked as one condemned, Marinette’s pink flats tripping up slightly on the stairs.

Around the hall.

Past the art room.

Into the open door for his homeroom class.

The crowd of schoolmates followed behind him like bees to a flower - buzzing and jittering excitedly. Many were taking pictures of him. At least four recorded his silent walk. Brushing past the threshold, Adrien’s stomach twisted painfully. Despite the early hour, half his class was already there - staring at their phones in slack-jawed awe.

In the back, Rose clicked on her screen and Adrien’s voice was heard saying: “Hello, Marinette! I want to ask you out on a date!”

As one, all eyes left their screens to stare at him.

Marinette’s phone chose that moment to beep and he pulled it out slowly from the purse. Tikki’s small face was lighted with worry inside the pink pouch. He gave her a strangled half-smile before blue eyes landed on the notification.

“ Forum - Subject - Sub-Category - Polling: MARICHATS! CAST YOUR VOTES: CHAT NOIR VERSUS ADRIEN AGRESTE!!”

In the span of him walking up the stairs to class, a voting poll had started.

And Chat Noir was winning by over 200 votes already.

Huh.

“Girl! Someone made it!” Alya started, her eyes full of panic. She stood up from her seat to join his side. “I’m trying to take the poll down-”

“There he is!” Someone shrieked over his shoulder and he glanced down the hallway with deadpan eyes. Amidst the catcalls and excited chatter, the crowd parted like the sea: to showcase Adrien Agreste.

With Nino attempting to lead her by the arm, Marinette stopped short and, to Adrien’s horror, she looked like she was about to cry. Lips pressed tightly, chin trembling, cheeks blooming red, the blond hair fell over green eyes and she ducked her head further to her chest. Releasing Nino’s grip with a nudge, she swiftly hurried for the relative safety of the classroom.

Brushing past, he caught the faint, “I’m sorry,” before she ran to his seat, dropped his bag, and buried her face in her arms.

It doesn’t matter - the revelation hit him sharply.

It gave him strength.  

It doesn’t matter.

Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste. Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It didn’t matter. They were one and the same. A unit. And if people wanted to talk - let them. If people wanted to judge - he was used to it. She was crumbling, but he was here.

And he’d take care of her.

Gentle Marinette - who selflessly knitted him a scarf, gave him her lucky charm, and was by his side whenever he needed a friend.

Confident Ladybug - who saved his butt more times than he could count, always had a trick up her sleeve, and would never back down - even if it cost her everything.

Leaving Alya at the doorway, he clutched the beeping phone tightly - which was still counting votes - and trekked the short pathway to her messy golden hair. The crowd, their classmates - even Alya - sucked in a collective breath, waiting - watching - tense.

“Hey, you asked me on a date, right?” he said, fishing for his most genuine model smile. It came easier than expected, spreading on his lips happily.

Marinette’s head whipped up to stare at him in shock. Slowly, she nodded. Reaching with gentle fingers, he boldly tucked the blond strands of hair behind her ears, nails slightly scratching that one simple spot on the back of her jaw. Pupils dilating, throat swallowing down the purr, the beginnings of a smile were creeping on her lips.

“Adrien - I’d love to go on a date with you.”

All around them were screams, some cheers, many cries of dismay-

But to Marinette and Adrien, Ladybug and Chat Noir, one and the same…

It was a moment they hadn’t known they’d been waiting for.

Chapter Text

He was grinning to himself, not bothering to hide his triumph. Leaning against the wooden backrest of the desk, small arms confidently crossed, his blue eyes were stationed on blond hair in front of him. She was still jumpy - broad shoulders scrunched up with nerves. It made Adrien want to smile even more. What a Marinette trait that was; anxious and shy. It made his body look oddly endearing.

Almost charming really.

He snorted a laugh as she went to pick up the tablet stylus and the pen fumbled out of her fingers, clattering noisily to the floor.

“Monsieur Agreste!” Mendeleiev barked, eyes prickly sharp behind thick frames. Hands on her willowy hips, she scowled: “School property is not to be manhandled!”

“Yes, ma’am!” the blond squeaked, shuffling to pick it up.

“Stare a little harder, girl,” Alya whispered with amusement in Adrien’s ear. “I don’t think you’ve fully memorized the back of his head.”

“We are going on a date today…” he mumbled back, sighing with his chin on his hand.

“I know - so does the entire internet.” She glanced at her phone under the seat. “Chat Noir is still winning by a long shot on this poll. I’m sorry I can’t take it down on my phone. I need my computer at home.”

“It’s fine, it’s all fine, everything is fiiine…” Adrien sighed again. He watched Marinette lift a large hand and rub the back of her neck. His eyes followed the fingertips - landing on the scratching spot around her ear. He grinned again. He couldn’t wait to make her purr…

“You are losing it, you know that, right?” Alya shook her head, a hopeless look creeping on her face. “I’m afraid to give you my sweater. You’d probably make the hole bigger with how distracted you are.”

“Give me your what now?” Adrien asked hazily.

“I sent you a text this morning, remember?” She scoffed. “Of course, you wouldn’t. Considering all that happened this morning, I’m surprised you’re even in class at all. I almost expected you to run home and hide-”

“If you two ladies are done with your conversation, I would love to continue my lesson!” Mendeleiev snapped from the front.

Sitting up straight, he grabbed the tablet and met startled green eyes looking back at him.

A nervous twitch jolted in his stomach.

Tan cheeks blushing, she gave him a small smile before ducking back to her desk.

“You guys are so disgustingly cute, you’re gonna make me sick,” Alya complained, rolling her eyes.

********************************

The day couldn't pass slow enough. Every time she checked the time on Adrien’s phone, Marinette was positive at least thirty minutes had to have gone by. She groaned quietly and rolled her eyes.

Only five…

Fiddling with the stylus pen, she frowned. So, she as Adrien asked Adrien as herself on a date and Adrien as herself agreed to go. Publicly. Very, very publicly. Recorded for all the world to see.

In hindsight, it had seemed like a good idea. She’d worked through all the possibilities in the car this morning. And yet… everything had fallen spectacularly to pieces resulting in a made-up rivalry between herself as Adrien and herself as Chat Noir and-

She groaned quietly and dropped her forehead in her hands. Blond hair drifted into her tired eyes. Was it because she was so used to her plans working out that she hadn’t seen this coming? Had she truly traded her good luck for bad when they’d switched bodies? If that was the case, would ever single idea she came up with eventually turn on her? She was the one who always thought through the situations: the one with the plan.

But if the plans always backfired...

Her hand dropped back to the desk.

That’s it. They couldn’t wait any longer. They both had an excuse to be together during lunch break. They’d use that time to go see Master Fu. He had to have answers, some kind of spell that could switch them back - anything. There was only so much pretending she could do before she got caught. One fencing lesson, one piano recital, one-

Her spiraling thoughts broke as Adrien’s phone vibrated with a text. Careful of Mendeleiev, she pulled it out to read:

Rose: Hey, Adrien. We need your calendar to schedule band practice this week.

Oh. Right. That.

Pulling up the calendar Nathalie had sent her the other day, she forwarded it to her classmate with her heart in her throat.

This had to be bad luck. Just as soon as she’d settled things with Adrien, now she was going to be face-to-face with Juleka’s brother.

Pretending to be Adrien.

Pretending to play the piano.

In front of Adrien who was in her body and who was coming to watch them practice.

Her forehead dropped back in her hand.

This was the worst.

********************************

Lunchtime finally came. Adrien stood from the desk practically radiating with joy. Grabbing for the polka-dot bag next to his knee, he heard Alya loudly huff and he looked at her in surprised.

“Shouldn’t Agreste be helping you with that, Marinette? After all, you two are going on a date, right?” She announced with a wink.

He flushed, embarrassment crawling over his skin, as the eyes of their classmates drifted in his direction with interest.

Words caught on his tongue: “A-Alya, I can handle my own bag-”

“Sure, Marinette. I’d be happy to carry that for you,” his voice chimed pleasantly behind him. Twisting, he spied calm green eyes and a gentle smile. Reaching down, her fingertips brushed the back of his hand as she grabbed for the bag. Shouldering it with a small nod, Adrien could only blink stupidly up at her.

“T-Th-Than…”

“No problem. Ready to go?”

“Y-yeah.”

She led the way, the entire room silently watching them. Dutifully walking beside her out the door and into the hallway, his cheeks burned as large groups of students started whispering loudly and giggling. Several phones were pulled out to record them. Adrien glanced up at Marinette to see her ignoring it all: blond head held high with confidence.

Where had all her nervousness from before gone to? She looked so poised, so… self-assured.

A shiver ran down his spine. This was pure Ladybug.

Taking the stairs without speaking, they crossed the courtyard and finally exited the school. They crossed the street closest to the bakery and the crowd following them slowly began to break away. Rounding a corner a block away, Marinette finally stopped and let out a long breath. Adrien hadn’t been able to look away from her - shock rippling through him.

“You looked very Ladybug just now,” he said in awe.

“Well, technically I am Ladybug.” She smiled. “I decided to let people think what they want. We have bigger problems to worry about.”

“Bigger problems?” He asked.

She sighed. “I got a text from Rose. She wanted my schedule, so she could plan for band practice.”

Adrien immediately tore his gaze away - deciding to focus on his pink flats instead.

“Oh,” was all he could say.

Luka.

He tensed as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Look, Adrien, I think we should use this opportunity to go see Master Fu. It’s time we try to figure out how to fix this. Things are only going to get worse from here on out if we don’t switch back. It doesn’t matter if you try to teach me - there’s no way I can pull off playing the piano like you can. I’ve still got this photoshoot tomorrow to worry about. And don’t get me started on if an akuma pops up.”

“We’ll go over the photoshoot thing tonight at the Tower. You’ll be ready for it.” He nodded encouragingly - before her words finally caught up to him. “Wait, you… you don’t - you don’t want to go on a date?”

She exhaled slowly, her hand dropping back to her side. Hard disappointment curled in his stomach at her tense expression. “It’s not that I don’t want to. We need to use the time we have together wisely. I-I want fix this. Things are just too complicated. I feel like I’ve lost who I am. We are stumbling around and not making any progress. If anything, I’m making things worse for us.”

“That’s not true-”

“Of course, it is. I’m a complete mess! I just… I need time to sort things out. Otherwise, bad luck will keep dragging us further.”

“Ba-Bad luck! Y-yeah, t-totally, totally understand that. Absolutely need to switch back… way too complicated…” He let out an unnatural, high-pitched giggle, but his heart twisted inside. It had been too good to be true after all. Crushed, he forced a smile on his lips.

“I appreciate you understanding my feelings, Adrien.” Straightening the polka-dot bag on her shoulder, she nodded brightly. “So, to Master Fu’s then?”

“Lead the way, my Lady,” he said, tone a touch flatter than usual.

She strolled past and his cordial grin instantly shriveled.

********************************

He listened to the entire story, his thin eyes wide and his hands folded gently on his lap. Sitting on the bamboo rug, they traded off explaining the akuma fight, the mysterious spell, how Chat Noir’s ring had resisted the cure, and ultimately how they ended up switched.

The kwami remained quiet - Tikki, Plagg, and Wayzz sitting together on the large gramophone in the corner.

Marinette finished the tale with bitterness in her throat: “We have tried everything to fix this, but we’ve run out of ideas. I was hoping time would eventually wear the spell off, but it’s been two days now and we’re still stuck. We were wondering if you had something that would help us, Master Fu.”

He sat back slowly, lips thin and finger lifting to tap his chin thoughtfully.

“How peculiar,” he finally said. He was silent once more, gaze flicking back and forth between the two of them.

Catching blue eyes beside her, Adrien shrugged his small shoulders.

“So, can you help us?” she asked.

“I have never seen anything like this before in my life.” Fu smiled kindly - as if those words were comforting.

“You don’t have any clue how to fix this either,” Adrien groaned.

“I might have some suggestions. Experiments and such.” The old man chimed.

Marinette sat up, excited. “Really? Like a spell?”    

“Have you tried hugging?”

Adrien sighed and Marinette slouched once more. “Yeah, we tried that at the very beginning when it first happened.”

“Hmm,” Fu hummed. “What about holding hands?”

“We have touched, hugged. Nothing has worked,” Adrien said flatly.

“Have you transformed?”

They both nodded.

“And how do you handle being transformed? Marinette being the Black Cat and Adrien with the Ladybug?”

“I’m getting better?” Marinette confessed meekly.

“I’m not,” Adrien threw in sourly. “Nothing makes sense.”

She turned, giving him a frown. “I told you how to control the yoyo last night, Adrien.”

“You tried - and I only managed one time to throw it without tangling the string around myself and others. Yay, me.” He waved his hands grumpily. “That’s not going to help anything if an akuma shows up.”

“Discovering your identities has put an disparity on your relationship,” Fu said slowly. “With the Ladybug and Black Cat, there must be balance. Yin and yang. Black and white. As of right now, you are both grey - mixed, confused, and tangled.”

“So, you’re saying we have to find balance?” Marinette asked.

“It is my best theory. The discord between you is strong. Perhaps you must let go of who you were and become who you are now. Regain your trust in yourself and each other. Then, and only then, will the yin and yang be balanced once more.”

“How do we do that?” Adrien asked, confused.

The old man tapped his chin again.

“Have you tried kissing?”

********************************

The walk back to school was hard for several reasons: One, Adrien had to face the fact that he didn’t actually get to go on a date with his Ladybug. Two, Master Fu was positively no help in fixing their situation. Three, Marinette had stated very clearly that as long as they were switched, she wanted nothing to do with entering some form of relationship - which he could understand on some level. It was strange to want to date himself, though she was the one inside his body, but-

Hmm… maybe she had a point on how confusing this all was.

And lastly, Adrien didn’t know where to begin to find the balance they once had. He knew what Master Fu was talking about. Being superhero partners, it was as if they read each other’s minds. He glanced up at his partner now and saw her teeth worrying on her lip.

He would give everything he had to read her thoughts at the moment.

Instead, he asked, “Something on your mind?”

“I’m just thinking over what Master Fu said. How we are unbalanced.”

Adrien snorted. “That’s kind of a given.”

“I don’t know how to fix this, Adrien. I feel like I’ve tried everything, but there’s something I’m not thinking of. I’m missing a step here. And if we continue this way, our lives are only going to get worse.”

She looked upset, blond hair falling into her green eyes.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he said softly. He touched her shoulder and she stopped to face him. “Maybe-” he thought fast, “-maybe what Master Fu means is we need to let go of who we are right now. You always made the plans, came up with the crazy schemes that helped us defeat akuma. You used impossible objects from your Lucky Charm to bring us luck. But what if that’s not the case anymore?”

She frowned, but the troubled look washed away, “I don’t understand.”

“Maybe I need to be the one to make a plan. I’m used to hanging back and destroying whatever I touch. I got too comfortable in following you because you’re so good at figuring out what to do. Ever since we switched, every plan you’ve come up with only makes things worse.”

“I’ve considered that, too - I’m nothing but bad luck now.” Her head hung, and he racked his brain again.

“I’ve had bad luck ever since I got this Miraculous and it’s been the best time of my life, Marinette.” He grinned. “I was given the gift of freedom and meeting a magnificent girl who stole my heart. Having bad luck doesn’t change how I feel about you. You are still magnificent.”

She sighed, but there was a smile on her lips. “I’m also in your body.”

“An unfortunate circumstance, but that only makes me look forward to when we are switched back and I can take you on a proper date.”

There is was! There was the blush he wanted. It spread past her cheeks to hit the tips of her ears.

Huh. He didn’t know his ears blushed.

“Even in my body, you are such an alley cat,” she laughed, giving him a gentle push. “No flirting allowed when you’re me.”

“No promises,” he chuckled, unthinkingly grabbing for her hand-

Marinette suddenly blinked and reached for the phone inside her white jacket - not noticing Adrien’s fingers hovering between them awkwardly. Quickly, he lowered his arm and blushed.

Obviously, trying to hold her hand would have been going too far again. What was he thinking? She’d just gotten done with reminding him - for the umpteenth time now - that she wasn’t ready to pursue anything between them. He wanted to growl in frustration at how stupid this entire situation was.

He liked her. She liked him.

But they couldn’t be together!

It was so tantalizingly irritating!

He was… impatient. That was the word for it. Adrien had always considered himself a quite accommodating; being friends with Chloe had certainly put him through plenty of trials on that front, but - he was surprised at how frustrated he was over Marinette’s wish to wait. Thinking back, he wasn’t very patient when Ladybug turned down his advances as Chat Noir. Little did he know, she was in love with his civilian form the entire time. But that was what made him even more frustrated. All the answers were here! No more secret identities between them and still…

He let out a long sigh, feeling strangely tired and self-reflected.

Maybe… maybe he wasn’t as patient as he thought.

Hmm - he’d have think about this.

While he mused over his new personality discoveries, Marinette’s features switched from curious to surprise to fear as she looked over the screen’s message.

His thoughts drained away to bracing caution at her expression.

This was never a good sign.

“Marinette?” He was afraid to ask. On top of all the other insanity already spiraling out of control around them, what else could go wrong?

“Your dad wants to talk to me after school,” she whispered. “He’s seen the videos posted online.”

Oh.

That could.