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Marinette always wondered how the universe worked.
There were some days where it just felt like there was something out there, something working behind the scenes in a way that no one could comprehend. She had always thought this but especially after being chosen to be Ladybug. She knew that there were forces the world had never seen before, knew that her miraculous was evidence of that. She had asked Tikki a few times before, what it was like to be what she was, to be a (basically) immortal being with cosmic powers and a bond with another miraculous that dated back to the BC.
And then there were days where her thoughts were less… philosophical, less about the mystical things of the universe, and more about how it just liked to mess with her.
Today was one of those days. Marinette was just about ready to give up, about ready to raise her hands to the sky and say, “Okay, I’ll take this hint and take a break!”
Designing was Marinette’s passion, anyone who knew her knew this. It wasn’t a secret and it wasn’t a secret that she was insanely talented. She was constantly making designs, doodling on any surface she could. She never stopped and didn’t intend to anytime soon. But it was days like this, that tested her.
She had finished a design for matching dresses for her and Alya about three days ago. She had begun working on it as soon as she could. She had everything she needed to make it, the right fabrics, the right measurements, the right details. She had been able to work for two days before she met a roadblock: her mannequin broke. Normally that wouldn’t mean the end of the world, she could just grab the extra that was stored in the basement or have Alya come over and Marinette would be able to work on it while it was on her friend. This wasn’t the first time she had run into this problem. However, it was the first time she had run into this problem with a solution. The mannequin she had been working with had been the extra from the basement and Alya was hanging out with Nino (which Marinette teased her friend mercilessly for).
In the end, though, it left her without a way to keep working on her dresses. She could work on it without a stand but that’s just annoying. So she collapsed into her rolly chair and grumbled to herself. She really wanted to have the dresses done by that day, so she and Alya could wear them for the next. “Looks like it’ll just have to wait,” she mumbled to herself and swatted at Tikki when the kwami giggled at her impatience. Though a small smile tugged at her lips too.
And then the universe decided to throw another curve at her.
There was a thumping on her balcony.
Her head snapped up to the ceiling. She briefly looked to Tikki, who looked only slightly less panicked than Marinette felt. Marinette slowly got up from her seat and quietly sneaked across her room, eyes still on the ceiling, and grabbed her baseball bat. She had started keeping it in her room after everything that happened with the Evillustrator. She couldn’t be Ladybug all the time, at least not in the suit, so she kept the next best thing to keep her civilian self safe. With the bat in hand, she crept up onto her bed, remaining as quiet as possible, and up the stairs to the balcony. She took in a deep breath, took what comfort she could at the feeling of Tikki at her side, and pushed the balcony latch open just a smidge.
There was no one in her immediate view so she pushed the latch open a little more. She looked to her left, in front of her, then to her right.
Bingo.
To her right was a lean, black-clad figure that was tending to her plants. The figure had their back turned to Marinette so she took the risk of pushing the latch open enough for her head to be visible. And from there, it didn’t take her long to figure out who the figure was.
“Chat Noir?” She said, tilting her head.
The hero in question jumped about a foot into the air and spun around to face her. The look of panic on his face almost made Marinette laugh. “Marinette!” He said in his startled state.
“What are you doing on my balcony?” Marinette asked, letting go of the latch so it could fall open.
“I just, uh, was wandering, and got, um, caught in my head,” he explained. Marinette found the stuttering cute. It wasn’t often that she, in or out of the suit, got to see her partner truly flustered. “I was just, uh, talking to your, uh, plants?”
She chuckled, smiling, and came up onto her balcony, sitting on the edge of the entrance. “Are they very talkative?” She jested.
“Oh, yeah,” Chat said, but his voice was missing that distinct lift, that teasing tone that Marinette (or Ladybug, rather) heard so often. It made Marinette pause, smile falling. “Great conversationalists, they are.”
Marinette looked over her partner. He hasn’t looked up from the plants, his shoulders were hunched in slightly. His head was hung too. Overall he looked downright miserable. That wouldn’t do. “Are you okay, Chat?” She asked.
He finally looked up at her, eyes tight. He went for a smile, though it looked more like a grimace, and said, “Fine, Princess. Just thinking.”
“Dangerous past time,” she said, walking over to the boy.
Her comment earned her a little chuckle. “Don’t worry yourself, Marinette,” Chat told her.
She just shrugged and said, “You don’t want to talk to me, then talk to my plants. I’m sure they’re great listeners.”
“Oh, yeah, the best,” Chat agreed, a true smile finally coming through. “They just sit and listen and they agree with everything I say.”
“Uh-huh.” Marinette nodded, a smile tugging at her lips.
Her partner went on about her plants and the balcony space itself. The cat seemed to enjoy the area, with or without any company. Marinette was happy her partner had a little safe space and was even happier that she could provide that safe space. “Well, you’re welcome here anytime, Chat,” she said kindly and they smiled at each other for a moment. Marinette, determined to make sure her friend was actually happy, suddenly glanced to her plants then back at Chat. She smiled deviously and said, “Just make sure to herb your enthusiasm next time.” She tossed in a wink too.
Chat stared at her. And stared at her. And continued to stare at her. For a split second, she thought that maybe he might not find it funny or maybe he just didn’t like it, but then he started laughing and laughing and laughing, bending over from the force of it. Marinette joined in eventually. His laugh has always been a little contagious.
“I don’t know whether to be proud or outraged,” Chat said.
“Outraged?” Marinette cried. “What? Why?”
“That was supposed to be my line, Princess,” he pouted. “It’s rude, it’s plagiarism!”
“Plagiarism, huh?” Marinette chuckled.
“Yes, Marinette, it’s plagiarism, it’s a crime.” The best part was how serious Chat looked. Arms crossed, chin jutted out, lips pursed and eyes narrow. It only made Marinette laugh more.
But then she really looked at her partner. Like, really looked. For as skinny as he was, he did have a figure. A nice figure too. Broad shoulders, nice arms, smaller waist. He had long legs, a taller stature.
“Uh, Marinette?”
Marinette blinked and met her partner’s eyes. An idea struck her. She smiled and said, “You wouldn’t happen to know the exact measurement of your shoulders, would you?”
Chat blinked now and let out a “Wah” sound. It was distinctly confused sounding.
“I’ve been working on two dresses, one for me, one for my friend. I’ve finished the one for my friend, and I’ve been working on mine but my mannequin broke and I don’t have an extra,” Marinette explained. “I wanted to have them both done so that we could wear them tomorrow but I can’t work on mine without a stand. So--” she drew out the word, “--if your shoulders match mine, and if you’re willing, then you can be my stand for today.”
Chat was quiet for a beat or two before he said, “Match yours?”
Oh. Right. “I, um, work out,” Marinette covered quickly. “So my, uh, shoulders are pretty broad, yeah.” I work out the same way you do Chat.
“Oh,” Chat said and seemed to think it over before brightening. “I’ll do it!”
“Really!?” Marinette beamed, arms coming up in excitement.
“Yes,” Chat repeated. “Show me the way, M’Lady.”
+++
Marinette could barely breathe.
Chat had been making puns for the past ten minutes, twirling around in the blue dress, the one for Marinette, and striking ridiculous poses. At first, Marinette tried to keep her dignity, smothering any laugh at Chat’s puns. Well, only the bad ones. The good ones got a chuckle but some of them were just… awful, even for Chat. But now, they were just getting worse and worse, cheesier and cheesier, and now Marinette could barely breathe from laughing so much.
“God, you are the worst!” Marinette exclaimed, catching her breath. Chat seemed very smug. “I need to be working, Chaton!”
“Then work, my dear,” he said with a smirk. “I mean, I do look paw-sitively amazing, don’t I? Just imagine if it were finished.”
“I’ll be able to finish it if you would stop making puns,” she told him, lighting smacking his arm with the lace she intended to add to the dress.
He grabbed the lace and put one line of it in his mouth. Marinette stuck her tongue out in faux disgust, giggling. “Oh, come on, Princess.” Chat struck a pose, one hand on his hand, and the other on his hip. Marinette swore he glittered for a second. “Check meow-t. This dress definitely brings out my eyes.”
“You’re ridiculous, that’s my lace you’re eating,” she said, snatching the lace back. “Aren’t you model worthy?”
“You don’t know the half of it, Princess.” He winked at her but didn’t offer any further explanation. Marinette didn’t ask for one.
Marinette continued with her work and Chat continued with his puns. It was a nice back and forth. If Chat didn’t flirt with her as much as he did while she was in the suit, she thought that this is what their relationship would be like. Not that it wasn’t similar, they did have a nice back and forth and they were very close as friends. Marinette knew that she could trust Chat with her life (she has on multiple occasions). It’s just that Marinette didn’t like Chat the way he liked Ladybug. She loved him as a friend and while the flirting wasn’t always a problem, it could become a little tiresome. Besides, she always had a hard time figuring out if what he said was just a teasing flirt or a product of genuine emotions. She never had the time to focus on it, in or out of the suit.
It was an hour or two later by the time Marinette was done with her dress. With one last stitch, she finished it off and announced, “And, done!”
“Ah, finally!” Chat stretched. “I feel as stiff as a board.”
“Hey, you volunteered,” Marinette reminded him with a pointed finger, though she knew he said it in good faith.
“Only because I can’t refuse you, dearest,” he crooned, getting to one knee for dramatics.
She snorted and giggled. “Obviously,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Now take off my dress, kitty.”
He did so with surprising delicacy, making sure not to stretch or tear anything. Marinette appreciated it greatly. She took the dress from him and moved to her wardrobe. She set it down with the one for Alya, looking for anything mistakes or loose stitches. “But I hear you,” she said. “Finally.”
She turned back to Chat and said, “Well, now that that’s done, you wanna do anything?”
He looked down at his hand, at his ring, and winced. “I should actually go,” he said sheepishly. “Or I’m gonna start craving cheese soon.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing, Princess.” He shook his head and walked over to her with a bounce in his step. He slid into a bow, grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it, smirking at her. “Thank you for the meow-nificent time.”
“Get out of here, Chaton, before I chase you out with a spray bottle.” She pushed him back with the same hand he was holding. They were both smiling at each other now.
“Why, Princess, you would never!” He exclaimed as he backed his way to the window.
Marinette reached over to her desk where a water bottle sat. She had never seen Chat jump out a window quicker. She giggled.
“Silly kitty.”
+++
Adrien woke up feeling optimistic.
He always tried to see a brighter side to things, always tried to be truly optimistic. It was hard, especially considering what situations he got himself into, but he felt as though the effort wasn’t used in vain. Yesterday, for example. Yesterday was great.
He always knew that Marinette was talented but getting to see her in action was amazing. She knew what she was doing, moving swiftly throughout the room and not missing a single stitch while working. And even though she seemed to freeze up around Adrien, around Chat Noir, she was so full of light. Witty comebacks and stupid puns, big laughs with no shame, eased and relaxed. She was brilliant, that girl. Adrien was glad at least one part of him got to experience it.
“Kid, are you going to get up or are you gonna keep thinking about that girl?”
Adrien startled at Plagg’s voice, right near his ear, and sat up. He looked at his kwami, who zipped around his room looking for something to mess with. “What?” Adrien said.
“You keep thinking about that girl, Marinette,” Plagg clarified.
“Well, we spent time with her yesterday, so,” Adrien trailed off.
“No, kid, I mean you keep thinking about her. Like all the time. Your smile gets all mushy.” Plagg waved his tiny hand in a casual gesture.
“My smile get mushy?” Adrien repeated.
“Yes. Mushy.”
“Oh,” Adrien muttered. “Well, I mean, she’s a great friend.”
“Kiiiiiiiiiiid!”
“What?” Plagg wasn’t making much sense.
“You,” Plagg flew up to him, getting right in his face. He pushed Adrien’s cheeks together best he could with his tiny hands. Adrien thought he would continue but he didn’t. He just repeated, “You, you, you.”
Adrien chuckled as Plagg patted his cheeks before flying off again. “Come on, kid, get up and get ready,” Plagg said. “We have school.”
“Do we now?” Adrien said sarcastically, pushing the blankets off his body. “I never would’ve guessed.”
+++
The ride to school was as silent as usual. Adrien stayed on his phone, for the most part, fidgeting with his ring, a nervous habit he had picked up somewhere down the line. When the car stopped, Adrien got out and immediately looked for Nino. His friend always waited for him before school.
It didn’t take long to spot him. “Nino!” Adrien called and began walking to him.
“Adrien, dude!” Nino sprinted over to Adrien and tugged on his shoulder once he reached his friend. “Dude, dude, Alya texted me and said that she and Marinette are getting all dressed up today.”
“Oh, nice,” Adrien said, wondering to himself how the final products of Marinette’s work must look like. “Did Marinette design it?”
“Yeah, Alya said that she’s been keeping it all under wraps. No one’s seen it yet, she said.”
Adrien smothered a smile on his face. He’s seen it. He felt special for being perhaps the only one to see Marinette’s design.
“Alya said that they should be here soon--” Nino had perfect timing because right as he spoke, he was cut off by Alya’s familiar voice, “Hey, Marinette! You look great, babe!”
The two boys looked to their right to see Marinette and Alya walking with arms linked. Alya was smirking, looking almost smug. She was teeming with confidence. She looked amazing in her muted yellow and orange colored dress, with brown leggings to match. The lace was expertly placed and added that extra spark the dress needed. Alya had two strands of hair pulled back to frame her face. She looked stunning. Adrien stole a glance at Nino and nearly burst out laughing. The boy looked gobsmacked, jaw dropped, eyes wide, the whole works.
“I feel great!”
Adrien finally looked over at Marinette.
And stopped.
Because Marinette looked absolutely gorgeous. She always looked gorgeous but right now… she looked ethereal . The first thing he noticed was that she had her hair down. Adrien had seen Marinette’s hair in multiple different styles but never down. It was a beautiful look on her. Next was the dress. If Adrien had any doubts that Marinette wasn’t a talented designer (which he really didn’t), he sure as hell didn’t know. She looked amazing in the dress. Then he noticed her arms. Marinette hadn’t been kidding when she said she worked out. Her arms were buff and toned. So were her legs.
And, well, if Alya had been teeming with confidence, Marinette was glowing with it.
A familiar feeling bubbled in his chest, the feeling he felt whenever he was around Ladybug. Adrien also recognized the warmth spreading on his face and ears.
The two girls walked towards the frozen boys, arms linked together. They were laughing and teasing and Adrien noticed for the first time that Marinette had dimples. They stopped when they were in front of the boys. “Heya,” Alya greeted them, still looking smug. She knew she looked good. “Like our dresses? Marinette has done it again!” She did a little twirl to accentuate her point.
“Y-Yeah,” Nino managed to say. “Amazing.” He wasn’t even looking at the dress, just at Alya.
Alya noticed.
“Aw, you boys too dazzled by our beauty?” Alya kept striking poses, this time leaning on Marinette with a hand on her hip. Marinette laughed.
“Leave them alone, Alya,” Marinette said but she looked just as confident as Alya. “You two can marvel at us later, we have class now.”
The duo moved passed the boys and began their way to class. Adrien and Nino stayed in place. Adrien felt like he was having a crisis.
He always knew that Marinette was beautiful, it was just some undeniable fact that really everyone knew. But finding someone beautiful and finding someone attractive was two different things. And now Adrien was faced with that dilemma. Did he find Marinette attractive? He’s always thought that she was an incredible person, talented and just amazing, but that was always as just a friend. Or was it?
“Adrien!”
He snapped out of his thoughts and looked to Nino.
“Bell just rang,” his friend said. “We gotta go.”
Adrien blinked, shaking off his thoughts. “Uh, yeah, yeah.”
Nino laughed as they walked into the school. “God, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this stunned,” he said.
Adrien, staring down at the floor, put a hand on Nino’s shoulder. “Dude. I think I’m having a crisis.”
Five minutes later, now in class, Nino was still laughing and Adrien was still blushing.